Environment

State capital building

Oregon Proposed 'Cap and Invest' Bill, Explained

Oregon legislators are hard at work on two new "cap and invest" bills that would establish a "market-based, carrot-and-stick approach to reducing greenhouse gas pollution."

January 14, 2018 - The Oregonian

Rose Bowl

What's a Climate Action Plan if it Has No Teeth?

The city of Pasadena has released its draft Climate Action Plan, but how will the city achieve an 83 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions if the plan sets no mandates?

January 10, 2018 - Pasadena Star-News

LED Lights

LEDs Are Worth 160 Coal Plants

Some hate the way LEDs light up the public realm, but if you're trying to reduce carbon emissions, it's impossible to ignore the achievements of LED light bulbs.

January 9, 2018 - Quartz

Winter Transit

The East Coast's 'Bomb Cyclone' and Climate Change

When President Trump tweeted that the East Coast needed global warming due to the freezing cold, experts responded by explaining the difference between weather and climate. But climate change may indeed be a cause of the bomb cyclone.

January 8, 2018 - The New York Times - Climate

Oil Rig

Despite Bipartisan Opposition, Trump Administration Opens Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling

In a major blow to former President Obama's restrictions on offshore drilling in sensitive areas, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced that he would open the Outer Continental Shelf in four regions: Pacific, Arctic, Atlantic, and the Gulf Coast.

January 8, 2018 - The Washington Post

Cross-Laminated Timber

'Tall Timber' May Be the Future of Building

Mass timber is a major structural element of an increasing number of skyscrapers, according to a CTBUH survey; now, the fire codes just have to follow.

January 8, 2018 - The Architect's Newspaper

Scott Pruitt

Scott Pruitt and the 'Paradigm Shift' at Trump's EPA

In just his first year, the high-profile and controversial cabinet member “has begun to dismantle former president Barack Obama’s environmental legacy.”

January 8, 2018 - The Washington Post

Downtown Honolulu as seen from the top of Diamond Head

Hawaii Cities Commit to Fully Renewable Ground Transportation by 2045

Mayors and civic leaders from across the Hawaiian islands signed a commitment to target 100 percent renewable ground transportation by 2045, both public and private.

January 6, 2018 - Hawaii Reporter

Northern California Wilidfires

Lessons Two and Three From the California Fires

The second and third parts in resiliency expert Dave Hampton's 3-part series on what the California fires teach us about preparing for climate change.

January 5, 2018 - UrbDeZine

Columbia River Gorge Fire

How the West Got Bigger, Badder Fires

Two new books chronicle the origin of U.S. policy on wildfire, the damage that policy has done, and why it’s unlikely to change any time soon.

January 4, 2018 - The New York Times

More on those Freeway-Adjacent Affordable Housing Developments

The Los Angeles Times follows-up an earlier article on the dangers of building too close to freeways. It's a trade-off that the California Air Resources Board acknowledged last April with new guidelines that recognize the dire need for housing.

January 4, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

San Diego Harbor

After the Drought, San Diego Faces Lead and Sewage

In 2017, the Southern California city no longer had to be concerned about water quantity, but was plagued by issues of water quality.

January 3, 2018 - Voice of San Diego

Beach Driving

Texan Offers Very Texan Plan for the Coast of Texas

In a new book, lawyer Jim Blackburn suggests that engaging private landowners is the only way to manage the coast of his home state.

January 2, 2018 - Offcite via The Urban Edge

Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve

Esri's Jack and Laura Dangermond Make Massive Land Conservation Gift

The Nature Conservancy's largest ever gift will preserve 24,000 acres of highly prized land in California. Jack and Laura Dangermond (cofounders of Esri) made the donation.

December 30, 2017 - The Atlantic

Texas Flood

2017 Set a New Precedent for Natural Disasters

Floods, hurricanes, wildfires, drought, freezes, and tornadoes—the list of disasters that struck the United States this year covers every corner of the country.

December 30, 2017 - Vox

Double Trucks

Movement Toward Mileage Fee Gains Momentum in U.K. with Truck Fee

British trucker calls for a level playing field with 'continental trucks' that may pay no diesel duty is one impetus for the vehicle miles traveled fee that would also consider emissions. The Transport Department stresses it would not apply to cars.

December 28, 2017 - The Times

Shanghai Shopping

10 Stats That Explain the World in 2017

Looking for lessons about 2017?

December 28, 2017 - The Washington Post

Levee

An Early Look at Louisiana's 'Strategic Adaptations for Future Environments' Plan

The state of Louisiana could be the first state to adopt a massive plan to push residents out of coastal areas threatened by sea level rise and coastal erosion. More states are expected to follow Louisiana's lead.

December 28, 2017 - Bloomberg

Fire

Climate Change Lesson Number One from the California Fires

Whether climate change 'caused' the California fires is a red herring, argues disaster resiliency expert Dave Hampton, in this first part in a series on lessons from the California fires about climate change.

December 28, 2017 - UrbDeZine

Bird Poop Prevention

Pigeon Spikes…on Trees

A developer in Bristol installed pigeon spikes on trees to keep bird droppings off cars.

December 26, 2017 - BBC

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.