World
Global issues, U.N., etc.
Building the 'Electranet'
Al Gore did in fact invent the 'electranet', or at least he coined the term to explain the necessity of a new smart grid to transmit electricity from new, green sources like wind and solar. GOOD Magazine reports on the state of the electranet.
Cities With a Global Outlook: The Top 12
A team of management consulting and foreign policy professionals has released a report analyzing which cities of the world are most global in reach, looking at business activity, human capital, and information exchange. New York comes out on top.
Kazakhstan: The New Dubai?
Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is reinventing itself as an increasingly wealthy and fast developing country through its architecture.
300% More Oxygen: The Guardian Examines Greenwashing
In a new weekly column, Fred Pearce of The Guardian examines corporate and municipal claims to sustainability.
'The Earth in Your Pocket'
That's how developers at Google describe the release of Google Earth for the iPhone. Boing Boing's Joel Johnson wonders why it wasn't released for Android first.
Income Gap in American Cities As Bad As African Cities
Income inequality in U.S. cities rivals that of many African cities, which struggle with deep divides between the haves and the have-nots, according to a recent report from the United Nations.
World's Underground Waters Mapped
UNESCO has released a detailed map of the world's aquifers, a move the organization hopes will enable more intelligent use of natural resources.
Three Oil Producing Nations Impacted By Oil Price Plunge
Plunging oil prices are hitting three oil-producing countries the hardest: Venezuela, Iran, and Russia. This article looks at each of them and evaluates how they will fare if oil prices do not rise, including their relationships to the U.S.
Social Inequity a 'Time Bomb' for U.S. Cities
The annual UN State of the World's Cities report contains a dire warning for American cities: racial divisions and social inequities are at alarming levels.
Neighborhood Mapping A Booming Business
Bernt Wahl is a pioneer of neighborhood mapping techniques. This profile in Wired profiles this growing industry, and Wahl's struggles with intellectual property. Who owns your neighborhood?
Climate Protection Jeopardized By Financial Crisis & Recession
The worldwide credit crisis will affect the ability of the developed world to tackle climate change. Businesses in Europe and U.S. are asking for delays in meeting emission reductions mandates notwithstanding the drop in oil prices.
Zip Line Your Way Across Town
Zip line tours- where you slide down a wire hanging from a lanyard- are growing in popularity in tourist spots like the canopies of rainforests. BLDBLOG proposes an urban application.
Golf Course Development Stuck in Sand Trap
The uber-wealthy are still buying homes on luxury golf course developments, but the rest of the market is hurting as courses close and projects stall around the world.
Economic Thinking is Job Number One
In the midst of this financial crisis, it is doubly important to understand the economic perspective on urban planning and real estate development, argues USC Professor Peter Gordon.
Closing Roads Sometimes Improves Traffic Flow
A new study finds that sometimes closing roads can improve traffic flow by forcing people to make alternative choices to the shortest route.
Taking City Revitalization Beyond Iconic Architecture
Many cities see new iconic buildings as a major element in recreating themselves into distinctive places. But if every city has distinctive buildings, the distinctiveness is diminished. This commentary argues for new revitalization ideas.
The Rise of the Amateur Mapmaker
The explosion of amateur mapmaking opened up by online services like Google Earth has expanded the reach of maps for a variety of uses. Professional mapmakers, on the other hand, foresee problems of quality and accuracy.
Fish as Private Property
David Bollier debunks the idea that the magic of 'private property' is saving fisheries from being overfished.
How Cities Can Compete - An Illustrated Guide
An artist recently drew an interpretation of a speech by author Richard Florida about the "creative class", competition between cities and the importance of place.
The President and Population Growth
Neal Pierce of Citiwire.net returns to the population issue, this time addressing U.S. federal foreign and domestic policies regarding the issue.
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
