Environment

New Jersey

How About a 'Climate Change National Park'?

One of the nuggets included in the Regional Plan Association's Forth Plan, released in late 2017, is a proposal to create a national park out of the New Jersey Meadowlands.

February 17, 2018 - Curbed New York

Tree Canopy

Seattle Looking for Better Tree Protections

Advocates and politicians are mustering ideas and support for new tree ordinances that line up with the city's climate goals.

February 16, 2018 - KUOW

Urban Gardening

How Urban Planning Is Changing in the 21st Century

Thanks to innovative advancements in permeable pavements and vertical farming, modern urban planning takes an action-oriented approach that retains its traditional focus of meeting residential needs.

February 14, 2018 - Kayla Matthews

Environmentalism

Infrastructure, Unlike the Trump Administration, Can't Ignore Climate Change

How can President Trump, who has made environmental regulation rollbacks and climate denial trademarks of his administration, be expected to select projects for his infrastructure plan that must weather climate change?

February 12, 2018 - The New York Times

Rooftop Solar

It's Rural vs. Urban in Kentucky's Anti-Solar Energy Bill

A bill that would cut back on the feed-in tariffs paid by utilities to solar panel owners in Kentucky.

February 10, 2018 - Louisville Courier Journal

Bay Area Wetlands

Bay Area Design Challenge Takes On Sea Level Rise

For the next several months, nine sites will be the focus of efforts to design for resilience as sea levels rise. Proposals involve "threading nature back into an urbanized terrain."

February 9, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Flame Towers

Mapping the Collision Course of Sprawl and Biodiversity

The expansion of the built environment proceeds with little regard for the loss of biodiversity, and the planning field isn't doing enough to help.

February 9, 2018 - ASLA The Dirt

Alaskan Way Seawall Construction

When the U.S. Economy Is 'Too Strong' to Spend on Infrastructure

A low unemployment rate means major investments by the federal government could ultimately harm the economy.

February 6, 2018 - FiveThirtyEight

Pedestrian Bridge

State Legislation Would Clear CEQA Obstructions for Road and Transit Projects

One legislator believes CEQA "is a key barrier to California meeting its ambitious climate change goals.”

February 5, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Minneapolis, Minnesota

U.S. Bank Stadium: Home to Super Bowl LII and a Death Trap for Migratory Birds

This isn't a joke about the Philadelphia Eagles. This story is about the deadly consequences of planning and architecture decisions.

February 4, 2018 - USA Today

Palm Springs

Federal Plan for Renewable Energy Development in the California Desert on Trump's Cutting Board

The issue of wind and solar energy development has always been a hot button in the California desert, and the Trump Administration just pressed it.

February 3, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Brockworth in Gloucestershire

Map of U.K. Development Types Reveals Wide Open Spaces

Satellite images make some of the best maps.

February 3, 2018 - Local Authority of Building Control

Mallorca

Rental Cars Will Be 100% Electric by 2030 in Spain's Balearic Islands

The government of the Balearic Islands drafts new law that requires rental car companies to phase out fossil fuel vehicles and to switch to a 100% electric fleet by 2030.

February 2, 2018 - Cities of the Future

Wall Prototypes

Homeland Security Waives More Than 30 Laws to Expedite Border Wall

In the drive to begin construction in New Mexico, the Trump Administration has bypassed dozens of federal environmental regulations.

February 2, 2018 - The Architect's Newspaper

Low Water Ohio River

U.S. EPA Ends the Obama-Era Clean Water Rule

The Trump Administration is rescinding another in a string of environmental regulations from the Obama Administration—this time it's the Clean Water Rule's protections for streams and waterways.

February 1, 2018 - Pacific Standard

State of the Union: The Major Policy President Trump Missed

No, this post is not about the Russia investigation nor #MeToo, but the state of climate policy in the U.S. after President Trump's first year. Surprisingly, it's not as bad as one might think, no thanks to Trump though.

February 1, 2018 - The New York Times - Climate

Smart and Beautiful Paths to Sustainability

In a beautiful and inspiring new book, "S.M.A.R.T. – Paths to Sustainability" 34 artists and authors from five continents give their views on aspects of sustainable development.

February 1, 2018 - S.M.A.R.T. - PATHS TO SUSTAINABILITY

Race Map

Pollution Does Discriminate in Orlando’s Parramore Neighborhood

Poor air quality has decimated the health of residents in this predominantly black community ringed by highways.

January 31, 2018 - Huffington Post

vermin

NIMBYs, but for Rats

Neighborhood groups around Detroit are taking the city's rat problem into their owns hands.

January 31, 2018 - HometownLife

Floodplain

'America’s First Climate Refugees' Are Still on the Island

The 99 residents of Isle de Jean Charles have $48 million to relocate together, but that doesn’t make it easy.

January 30, 2018 - CityLab

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.