Posted by Kaid Benfield in Living Sustainably , Reviving the World's Oceans , Saving Wildlife and Wild Places
Kudos to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for a comprehensive new report and web site on best practices for smart development in coastal and waterfront communities. The report was issued in cooperation with the federal EPA,...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Environmental Justice , Green Enterprise , Living Sustainably
Every summer, Boston's Asian Community Development Corporation has been hosting an informal grassroots Asian film festival in a vacant lot near the city's Chinatown Gate. The final night this year (above) was held in the nearby Chinatown Park. As...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Living Sustainably
Just last week, my NRDC colleague Nancy Stoner pointed out that the federal program that provides water infrastructure to local communities is essentially subsidizing sprawl. This is because the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (an atrocious name if I've ever...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Green Enterprise , Living Sustainably , Solving Global Warming
A new report from the US Environmental Protection Agency documents a dramatic shift in the pattern of new development in the nation over the past two decades: Central cities and counties are now claiming a much larger share of overall...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming
The good news, as I've reported before, is that there are some very encouraging numbers: transit ridership is increasing dramatically, while overall vehicle travel remains in decline after decades of astounding growth. Recent data show use of public transportation...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Green Enterprise , Living Sustainably
Tomorrow, I have an exciting announcement to bring you about a major effort that has occupied our communications and smart growth staffs for over a year year. It's very cool, and I hope you'll like it as much as we do! Stay...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Living Sustainably , Saving Wildlife and Wild Places
Plum Creek Timber Company, the nation's largest private landowner (8 million acres nationwide), has withdrawn a controversial request to pursue residential development of remote land in western Montana. The company had requested an easement on timber roads owned by...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Environmental Justice , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
Now that the two major political parties have, for better or worse, formally nominated their candidates for president and vice president of the United States, I am reposting these two entries, with some minor updating. They were originally published on August 12...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Living Sustainably
The 1990s are starting to feel like a long time ago. Remember when golf courses surrounded by McMansions were sprouting up on the outskirts of many American suburbs?Today, with large-lot suburbia largely overbuilt, gas prices dragging down home values in...continued→
Posted by Kaid Benfield in Environmental Justice , Living Sustainably , Moving Beyond Oil , Saving Wildlife and Wild Places , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
Dear Mr. President-elect*:As you may know, America is entering a period of rapid growth that will have a profound effect on our national well-being. As a result, you and your administration will have an unprecedented challenge, but also an unprecedented...continued→
