Kaid Benfield, Director of the Smart Growth Program at the NRDC, picks some if his favorite success stories of smart growth transformation, from Atlanta's Beltline to Berlin's Hackesche Hofe.
"Herewith, readers, some of my very favorite smart, livable places that are contributing positively to the environment, as I've written about them over the past year.
"When NRDC's Ian Wilker first approached me about blogging, I'm sure that neither he nor I anticipated that it would lead to so much writing on my part. My favorites are the neighborhood success stories, the ones where I'm privileged to observe something and, say, "look - THIS is what it can be like, if we follow these great examples."
"We environmentalists, as a breed, are still way too negative, in my opinion. I fully understand why, but if more of us don't take the next step and present the positive alternative, we won't make the progress we need to make. It's been an honor to tell you about some of these great places, and here is my top 10 (OK, eleven) from this space in 2008 . . ."
Thanks to Kaid Benfield
FULL STORY: These are a few of my favorite . . . places

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

Test News Post 1
This is a summary

Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.

Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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