Be More General(ist)

A cautionary tale on rain gardens.

Top StoryKevin KlinkenbergApril 28, 2023trees, street trees, aesthetics, urban design, environment, sidewalks

Sketches of Shenandoah

A drive through Shenandoah National Park, and a look back at its 1930s creation, offers a glimpse into the early era of American car culture, when motoring was a recreational activity with a lighter imprint on the landscape.

Edward Erfurt, Environment, Top StoryEdward ErfurtJanuary 13, 2023Parks, car culture, history, rural, environment

Water Wars in the Modern Wild West

Residents of Maricopa County in Arizona find themselves engaged in a war over water, as the county builds itself out beyond its means.

Upzoned, Podcast, Top Story, Suburban ExperimentStrong TownsJuly 13, 2022Podcast, podcast, Upzoned, resource, water, Arizona, Development, development pattern, suburban development pattern, environment, suburban experiment

For Those Who Wish We’d Talk About Climate Change More

Progress on climate change can and will come if we use a bottom-up approach to changing our development pattern.

Environment, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnJuly 13, 2022bottom-up, top-down, climate, Climate Change, environment, strong towns approach, development pattern

“Free Parking” Isn’t Green

No matter how many solar panels it has, your parking garage isn’t green, and especially if you don’t charge parking.

City Observatory, Parking, Top StoryJoe CortrightJune 28, 2022Parking, parking, parking pricing, parking landing page, End Parking Mandates and Subsidies, Donald Shoup, Parking Reform Network, garages, environment, climate, Climate Change, City Observatory

What Thinking Like a Mountain Has To Teach Us About Thinking Like a City

Aldo Leopold was an ecologist, not an urban planner, but insights from his Sand County Almanac can resonate with anyone interested in urbanism.

Top StorySeth ZerenJune 24, 2022urbanism, books, ecology, environment, Development, development, urban design, urban planning

A Recent Lawsuit Uses “Environmentalism” To Argue Against Walkable, Compact Development in Minneapolis. What the Heck Is Going On?

The environmental groups suing Minneapolis to block implementation of its groundbreaking 2040 Plan have a limited understanding of environmentalism, but a keen grasp of how to slow down policy reform.

Environment, Incrementalism, Herriges, Zoning, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJune 22, 2022Climate Change, climate, environment, Minnesota, Minneapolis, zoning, NIMBY, incremental growth, incremental development, incrementalism, infill

Sowing Our Roads with Salt Is No Way to Grow Stronger Towns

Because we depend so heavily on cars, what happens when roads become too icy to drive on? The answer: road salt. But there are serious consequences to relying on salt for road-clearing.

There is Unrest in the Urban Forest

“Preserve the trees” or “clear the way for more housing”—which side should you take? (Good news: It’s a false choice, to begin with.)

Herriges, Housing, Environment, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJanuary 12, 2022trees, street trees, environment, urban design, housing, Housing, housing activism, housing policy

Can Local Governments Be Held Accountable to Their Own Policies?

This organization is suing their local government over an insolvent, master-planned development in Collier County, Florida.

Finance, Herriges, Local Government, Taking Action, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesDecember 2, 2021Florida, environment, local politics, local government, master planned, financial solvency, taking action

More Highways, More Driving, More Emissions

Fact: New roads always produce new driving. Say hello to “induced demand.”

10 Reasons to Not Trust ODOT's Environmental Claims

Oregon’s Department of Transportation is making phony claims that widening highways reduces pollution. Here’s why they’re wrong.

“Greening” Our Commutes

National Geographic says we’re witnessing an electric vehicle revolution. But there’s another, perhaps more important, revolution underway.

Pattison, Environment, Top StoryJohn PattisonOctober 7, 2021environment, Climate Change, Electric Vehicles

The Global Energy Crisis Is a Story of Fragility

How will we deal with the overseas energy crisis as it spreads beyond Europe’s borders?

Transportation, Upzoned, Coronavirus, Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsOctober 6, 2021environment, Podcast, podcast, Upzoned, energy, Europe, electricity, coronavirus, Coronavirus, fragility

We Live in a "People Aquarium"…and the Water Is Running Out

What can we do at the most immediate, local level when water reservoirs run low?

Local Government, Member Post, Sanphillippo, Suburban Experiment, Top StoryJohnny SanphillippoOctober 5, 2021water, California, Granola Shotgun, climate, environment, subsidiarity, local government, local regulation

CDOT's Proposal for Transit-Induced Pollution

CDOT drafts a rule that intends to address both greenhouse gas emissions and Colorado’s spreading development pattern. But can this kind of top-down solution work?

The Environment Question

Where does the Strong Towns approach intersect with environmentalism?

Marohn, Roads and Streets, Walkability, Top StoryCharles MarohnSeptember 16, 2021environment, strong towns approach, Electric Vehicles, walkability, streets

Where Should We Be Focusing Climate Change Efforts?

If we continue toward a suburban development pattern, then should we move climate change efforts away from cities and to the suburbs, as well?

Upzoned, Podcast, Suburban Experiment, Coronavirus, Top StoryStrong TownsJuly 28, 2021Podcast, Upzoned, suburban experiment, climate, environment, canada

The Electric F-150 and the Lifestyle Truck Virus

Will switching away from internal combustion engines actually mitigate the the environmental and social costs imposed by large vehicles, like the pickup truck?