February 10, 2012   1-877-631-2845

You are here: Home / Archives for Urban renewal

DIY Streets Program in the UK: Reclaiming a Neighborhood

June 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
DIY Streets

One of the reasons that we talk a lot about public transit and city planning on this humble blog of ours, is that these areas are inextricably linked to the issues of green building and green lifestyles. These in turn of course are also tied to the idea of local communities working together to improve quality of life for everyone living in them. Thanks to Jeff at Sustainablog who tweeted the link, and to Kaid Benfield's piece about urban renewal in the Clapton area of Hackney, London reprinted … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Green Building, Urban planning Tagged With: , , ,

Urban Green Space Benefits

May 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Urban green space green city

City living is wonderful! Jobs are plentiful, culture abounds, architecture is historical, and there is never a shortage of things to do. Amidst all that concrete and stimulation though, humans need a respite, a place to unwind, and a way to reconnect with nature. Urban planners, having built up cities with just buildings, are now realizing the importance of green spaces for their residents. The obvious benefits of parks, nature preserves, waterfronts, hiking trails and bike paths are recreation … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Green Building, Urban planning Tagged With: , , , , ,

7 Reasons That City Living Is Eco-friendly

May 11, 2011 By 8 Comments
Green City Central Park Grass

I grew up in the 60s in the back-to-the-land movement. We cherished the earth and moved to rural areas to farm, be self-sufficient, and grow communities. We wanted to connect with each other and the land. We looked down on cities as places of evil – crime, pollution, crowds, concrete, and no community. Many of us were from upper middle class homes in the suburbs, and when we rebelled, we chose a country lifestyle instead of the city. Today, city living isn’t seen as evil anymore. As it turns … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Green Lifestyle, Urban planning Tagged With: , , , , ,

Under the Smog: Going Green in the Inner-City

December 22, 2010 By 1 Comment
Rooftop Gardens

Here on this blog, I've spent some time talking about the importance of cultural shifts when it comes to urban planning. But what are some actionable strategies that every day people can do to help affect this shift? And how are some cities supporting those efforts? Guest poster Joy Paley weighs in on the ins and outs of turning things around when it comes to shifting the paradigm from that of the 20th Century to the 21st, along with new city legislation that supports those changes. But, what … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sustainability, Urban planning Tagged With: , , , ,

The Future of Public Transportation

November 24, 2010 By 1 Comment
Infographic-The-Future-of-Public-Transportation

My burning interest in public transit comes out partially from a fascination with it when I was younger as depicted in sci-fi movies and the like. I've never hidden my nerd tendencies, particularly on this blog. I wear them proudly. But another reason I'm interested in public transit is because I really do think that investment in a robust, scalable public transit system is the smartest, and most logical progression away from fossil fuel dependence and crappy air quality when it comes to getting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sustainability, Urban planning Tagged With: , , ,

Green Roofing in Singapore

September 3, 2010 By 1 Comment
Singapore Green Roof

Today's guest post is from online writer Mary Fineday, who recently took a trip to Singapore, a country that recently hosted the 2010 International Skyrise Greenery Conference.  While there, Mary was struck by some amazing architecture that may mark a standard feature to the cities of the future.  Mary tells us all about it here in this exclusive post ... *** I recently spent a gorgeous week in Singapore, staying at a beach-side resort and taking the city's amazing public transit north to explore … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Green Building Tagged With: , , , , ,

Green Public Transit: London Bicycles!

August 11, 2010 By 3 Comments
Boris Johnson Bike Hire London

With serious problems like urban pollution and the resulting impact on global climate change, there must come radical solutions in place to counteract those problems.  And the best of these can often produce a byproduct that perhaps we never expected; FUN! Take a look at this video that outlines a program put in place in my old stomping ground of London, England.  Current Mayor Boris Johnson, along with sponsorship from Barclay's Bank, and Transport for London have introduced a new program to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Urban planning Tagged With: , , , ,

10 Ways to Go Green When Gardening

July 7, 2010 By 8 Comments
Green Garden

People keep gardens for a number of reasons.  But, one of the biggest ones is having a connection to the natural world in a physical way.  And I think too, there is a sense of getting back to one's roots, if you'll pardon the pun. After all, we as a species went through a pretty big gardening phase.  Before industrialization, the food we ate was the food we directly helped to grow .  Gardening and a connection to the natural world was not just a hobby. It was vital to survival. At this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sustainability Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Historical Restoration and Sustainability

June 30, 2010 By 4 Comments
Parliament building, Victoria BC

Last week, I had the extreme pleasure of spending a few days on holiday in the City of Victoria, the capitol city of our province of British Columbia.  Victoria is a mid-sized city, with a downtown core that is easily walkable (hooray!) that is easily accessible by public transit (hooray again!).  And most obviously, the history of the place in the form of historical buildings are all around you when you visit. I recommend it, folks. Besides my enjoyment of the city, the idea of restoration … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sustainability, Urban planning Tagged With: , , ,

Green Building: Walk This Way

June 16, 2010 By 5 Comments
Walking feet on a sidewalk

One recurring theme I've found, and that which has been virtually impossible to ignore, is the relationship between how resources are used, and the cultural attitudes and expectations that drive it.  I've expressed this relationship between culture and green living here on this blog a number of times I suppose.  I do feel that it is really these cultural elements which stand as the highest wall to scale when looking to determine our future. A big piece of this is about lifestyles, and the accouterments … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Urban planning Tagged With: , , ,