Environment
Friday Funny: Here's Where Cows Could Take Over the United States
Vox imagines a world in which cows stage a military coup.
Documenting the Trail of the Huge Fire in Canada
An unusually large and hot fire has struck Alberta, Canada at an unusually early time of year. According to researchers, this is the new normal.
A New 'Learning Garden' for Detroit's Osborn Neighborhood
A new garden has opened in Detroit's Osborn neighborhood. It's described as the city's first outdoor learning garden.
Parcel Tax Measure Would Fund Climate Adaptation in Bay Area by Restoring Wetlands
Next month, along with picking presidential, U.S. Senate and legislative candidates, and local ballot measures in a primary election, voters in the Bay Area will also determine the outcome of the first regionwide measure in Bay Area history.
Balancing the Scales of City Sustainability
Urbanism and smart growth are great for cities, people, and "the environment"—but neighborhood impacts must be mitigated. Kaid Benfield gives pointers on balancing the scales.
Mayoral Op-Ed: Give Cities the Power to Address Climate Change
In an opinion piece, former mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York joins Anne Hidalgo of Paris and Eduardo Paes of Rio de Janeiro. They argue that national governments should give cities every possible tool to cut emissions.
Interior Department Secretary Jumps Into Fossil Fuel Debate
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell expressed a surprisingly pro-industry viewpoint in response to the growing "keep it in the ground" environmental movement.
The Greening of Large Trucks Begins at California's Ports
A Planetizen blog post by Casey Brazeal asks, "When will the trucking industry electrify?" Three truck manufacturers and electric truck builder BYD Motors are now in competition thanks to a $23.6 million state grant to the South Coast Air District.
19 Mansions May Be Headed to Los Angeles Wilderness
A fight is brewing over a plan to build 19 luxury homes on an expanse of wilderness in Los Angeles' San Gabriel Mountains.
Water Diversion Controversy Stifles Milwaukee Suburb's Growth Plans
The city of Waukesha asked for more water than the Great Lakes Compact would allow. Commenters remind the city of Waukesha that water for growth was never the goal of the Great Lakes Compact.
Changes to Google Maps Don't Necessarily Equal Good Cartography
Google Maps has changed a lot since its quick rise to ubiquity. An intrepid blogger digs into the nitty gritty of how the mapping platform has changed, and the consequences of Google's cartography for how the public perceives the world.
Unique Public-Private Partnership Tackles Stormwater Infrastructure in Maryland
By combining the resources of the public and private sectors, Prince George County was able to greatly reduce the costs required to retrofit an aging stormwater system.
The Path to Success for an Effective Carbon Tax
A Vox explainer describes the complex political, economic, and cultural obstacles to overcome in achieving a carbon tax equal to the social cost of carbon.
San Francisco's New Park, Built Over a Viaduct
Designed by the same landscape architect behind New York City's High Line, a new park will cap San Francisco's Doyle Drive, connecting the Presidio to the shoreline.
After the Scourge: Regions Struggle to Sustain Plantlife
The Chicago Region Trees Initiative provides a regional model for planting and protecting a sustainable natural environment in and around cities and communities.
Environmentalist Alarmed Over California-Focused Federal Water Legislation
An op-ed argues that instead of building a more resilient and sustainable water supply infrastructure, two water bills before congress would rollback exiting environmental protections.
Los Angeles Reaps the Benefits of Restoring the Santa Monica Bay
Los Angeles has made major progress in restoring the Santa Monica Bay. Now, The Bay Foundation's Tom Ford sees opportunities for L.A. to capitalize on its natural resources.
What's a Tree Worth?
The U.S. Forest Service has continued to refine the valuable i-Tree software program, which allows cities to calculate the benefits, in dollar figures, of the urban forest.
Green Cities: Breathe Deeply and Walk Freely
Greening the city extends our life and increases our quality of life.
Louisville Gearing Up to Tackle its Urban Heat Island Problem
Louisville has the ignominious distinction of having the largest heat island effect of any of the largest cities in the United States. A new study from the Urban Climate Lab at Georgia Tech suggests ideas for lowering the heat in the city.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
