Knope and change

Lessons from the women who are leading the sustainable cities movement

Grist’s assistant editor, Darby Minow Smith, looks back at more than a dozen interviews with urban sustainability directors and reflects on what they -- and all of you -- taught her.

Oak Park test drives a blackout-proof, solar-powered smart grid

Our infrastructure should be as smart as our phones, says Oak Park, Ill., Sustainability Manager K.C. Poulos.

Keeping a growing Austin green — and weird — is no easy task

Austin, Texas, grew a whopping 51.1 percent in 10 years. Is it possible for a city to grow quickly and retain its character? Lucia Athens, Austin's sustainability director, hopes so.

Ignore the Midwest at your own risk, says a Kansas sustainability director

Kansas may be the testing grounds for a Tea Party America, but we need the Midwest if we're going to get anything done, argues the sustainability coordinator of Lawrence, Kan.

Norfolk, Va., has a plan to keep its head above water

The lovely old city floods regularly -- and scientists warn the area will experience worse-than-average sea-level rise. Sustainability chief Denise Thompson shares Norfolk's plans for staying dry.

Surrounded by water on three sides, San Francisco fights to keep climate change at bay

Cities are where the real action is at, says Melanie Nutter. The San Francisco sustainability director works with other cities to stave off the worst effects of climate change.

Susanne Torriente fights to keep ‘America’s Venice’ from slipping into the sea

Fort Lauderdale, a town known for yachts and oceanfront second homes, has some tough decisions ahead as climate change laps at its door.

A green Salt Lake City? Thank the Mormon pioneers, says Sustainability Director Vicki Bennett

A forward-thinking mayor and progressive community help the cause, too.

Breaking: Portland sustainability chief admits ‘Portlandia’ isn’t really a parody

Sustainability boss Susan Anderson explains how America's green capitol got that way -- and how Portland faces challenges that go beyond making sure the cool kids have enough food trucks.