Cities of the Future

Who will own the smarter cities of the future?

As cities get smarter, concerns about privacy and corporate control are growing. Plus, big corporations can be pretty stupid.

How will cities be shaped by transit in the future?

We constructed four future scenarios of transit in cities, speculating how forces like gas prices and city politics might change the way we move.

The city that said no to garbage

If you want to keep garbage out of landfills, you have to stop thinking about it as garbage. Instead, think of it as resources. This is how Jack Macy thinks. He developed San Francisco’s trailblazing composting program and is currently Zero Waste Coordinator for the city. Here, he shares the city’s secrets to success.

San Francisco watches its waste line

Most cities send thousands of tons of unwanted flotsam and jetsam to landfills every day. But in San Francisco, garbage is treated like a resource that shouldn't be wasted. And that means formulating a plan to reduce the city's garbage output to zero. Yes, that's right: zero.

How Chicago became the city of green shoulders

What started as a simple beautification project -- flower planters, parkways, and whatnot -- eventually led Chicago to take on the larger challenge of green building. A leading architect describes how leadership from the mayor's office, key changes in the city's building permit program, and cooperation from developers made it happen.

Chicago takes the LEED in eco building

Skyscrapers and other enormous buildings are environmental horror shows. So you might think that Chicago -- birthplace of the skyscraper and home to nine of the world's 100 tallest buildings -- is like a City of the Eco-Damned. Not so. The Windy City has plenty of proof that it's building a foundation on building green.

22 cities that are smart about energy

Several cities around the country are finding ways to get smart about energy, at the same time saving money and pumping up their eco cred.

Arid El Paso makes every drop count

Deep in the desert, El Paso has found a way to conserve its precious water. Despite a growing population, water usage has actually gone down.

Wading into a water war between two countries and two states

Ed Archuleta, of the El Paso Water Utilities, had to figure out how to make water resources last while sharing them with Mexico and another state.