Climate Cities
All Stories
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Portland, Ore., green-building plan will be delayed
Portland, Ore., proposed an ambitious green-building plan last month that was to go before voters in January. But the building and real-estate industries were taken aback by the announcement and have expressed concerns; City Commissioner Dan Saltzman now hopes to have a draft before the city council in three to six months.
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The depth of the Mississippi River’s influence, in numbers
Fifty-eight semi-truck trailer loads traveling over 9 feet of water. Photo: Sarah van Schagen 10 — states that border the Mississippi River 31 — states drained by the Mississippi River watershed 1 2 — Canadian provinces drained by the Mississippi River watershed 1 50 — cities that rely on the river for their water […]
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The riverfront in Memphis needs help — but what kind?
May God bless Memphis, the noblest city on the face of the earth. — Mark Twain To visit Memphis, Tenn., is to visit a place that is slowly waking from a decades-long stupor. The things that define this city in the popular imagination — the glamorous life of Elvis Presley, the shocking assassination of Martin […]
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St. Louisans turn a working river into a river that works for them
“The fifth night we passed St. Louis, and it was like the whole world lit up.” — Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn As the sun rises over the city of St. Louis, an arch-shaped shadow moves eastward over the city’s bustling downtown and toward the Mississippi River, where it will leave its invisible […]
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An Iowa river town develops a real relationship with the Mississippi
“The care of rivers is not a question of rivers, but of the human heart.” — Tanaka Shozo Arriving in Dubuque, Iowa, is a bit disorienting. After passing acres and acres of the heartland’s flat soybean and cornfields, you suddenly come upon a small city (pop. 60,000) with a surprising landscape. Gazing east to west, […]
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Up and down the Mississippi, communities are reinventing their riverfronts
Gone are the days when the Mississippi River was just a shipping route and flood risk that happened to run through a city’s back yard. Increasingly, the legendary waterway is becoming recognized as a prized attraction, worthy of front-yard status. Here’s how a few communities are drawing attention to a natural feature they once shunned. […]
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The next blight
Via Atrios, a preview of things to come: empty retail space in the ‘burbs. How long can something stay empty and still retain that clean, sterile look the ‘burbs are known for? How long until blight sets in?
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Levittown, N.Y., aims to be first green suburb
Think the phrase “green suburb” is an oxymoron? Levittown, N.Y., begs to differ.
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A public policy silver bullet that’s available to fight global warming today
Steve Heckeroth’s piece "Solar is the solution" has been recommended all over the green blogosphere, first by Robert Rapier, I think. It’s great reading, but I wanted to hone in on one thing he mentions — a piece of public policy that has been woefully under-hyped. To wit: with today’s technology, we know how to […]
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Al Gore’s home meets LEED Gold standard
Al Gore has finished efficiency renovations on his much-maligned Tennessee home. Solar panels, rainwater collection, geothermal heating, and non-incandescent light bulbs have helped the abode earn a LEED Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.
