World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
Resident Demands 'Everything in My Back Yard'
The public comment period at a recent planning commission meeting in Wheaton, Illinois was commandeered by resident Joann Davies, who aggressively demanded that a variety of land uses be approved in her neighborhood.
Replacing Kyoto
This report from KQED radio looks at efforts to craft a replacement for the Kyoto Protocols.
Water Problems Call for Action from Obama
Global water shortages are an issue the Obama Administration will need to address, according to this piece from Citiwire.
Facing Climate Change, U.N. To Propose Major Economic Reforms
In response to the widening threat of climate change, the United Nations will release a note of suggestions that propose a dramatic change in global economic relations, tarriffs, and taxes, according to this piece from Fox News.
City Dwellers Do Less Harm
A new study has shown that city dwellers are less of a burden on the environment than those outside of city and metropolitan areas.
Government Boomtowns: The New Detroit?
While the number of private sector jobs shrinks, places with higher proportions of government workers are doing quite well. It's estimated that public servants will see wage increases of 2% or more this year.
Unbuilt Skyscrapers Mean Sky-High Unemployment
No work has been done on the Chicago Spire, the city's latest planned skyscraper, since the credit market froze up in January. A brief look at the blow to the building industry, in which joblessness is at a rate of 21.4%.
Urban Emergence
The concept of 'emergence', in science refers to the way complex systems and patterns arise among groups without planned organization. Emergence is now being applied in interesting ways to study urban areas that evolved spontaneously.
The 'Outdated Ethic' of Iconic Architecture
Many of the iconic structures designed by 'starchitects' are extravagant in their use of materials and the energy required to assemble them, writes Jack Diamond.
Are We Too "Stupid" to Save Ourselves?
A new British documentary looks back from the year 2055 to show how humanity gradually destroyed the planet.
Will "Ghost" Towers Dominate U.S. Skylines?
Paul Smalera sees in the the ghost towers of Bangkok a disturbing warning for economically distressed urban developments in the United States.
Playing Catch-Up with Rail
Have high-speed rail stimulus funds put us any closer to technology like mag-lev? A long record of underfunding makes many of such projects shovel-unready, but hopes are still high.
Water Threat: 'Bigger Than Financial Crisis'
As the World Water Forum convenes in Istanbul, two new reports warn that water shortages will elevate to a global crisis within the next two decades, creating a problem even bigger than the current economic crisis.
Green Economy Coming Despite Downturn
Good green jobs are on the way - just not right away due to recession. Stimulus funds - not just from U.S. but many nations are investing in their economies by targeting renewable energy, smart electricity grids, energy efficiency, and more.
How Does Maglev Work, Anyway?
A new sixty-minute TV documentary explains how maglev technology works, and covers the first major accident on a maglev track.
Carbon Capture A Ploy?
CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) is an abbreviation that may become more common if the coal industry has its way. But The Economist argues that carbon taxes are a better way to improve the environment than investing in CCS technology.
Metropolitan Areas Drive Economies
Metropolitan regions are the most important factors in supporting prosperous economies. For national economies to succeed, metropolitan regions must succeed, according to this article from the Brookings Institution.
Rich Waste, Poor Waste
This piece from The Economist looks at human-caused waste, how different economies generate it differently, and how they deal with it.
Understanding Algae
Treehugger recently heralded fuel-producing algae the hottest green technology going. GOOD Magazine takes a clear-eyed look at the promise and the pitfalls.
Coming Soon: More Ads in Public Spaces
BrandWeek says that the downturn in the economy makes more ads in public spaces 'a no-brainer', because cities get revenue and advertisers get exposure in previously untapped locations.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
