A look at the relationship between sprawl and climate change mitigation in the fast-growing North Carolina city.
For Shannon Binns, founder of a local nonprofit focused on sustainability, fighting climate change means not talking about climate change.
In a part of the country where global warming is highly politicized, Binns believes it can be counterproductive to foreground climate concerns in advocacy campaigns. His work focuses largely on curbing sprawl, which has massive implications for carbon emissions, although it's not usually at the top of urban mitigation priorities.
"It’s so easy to turn people off and create opponents,” he said. “We’ve taken the approach of, ‘Let’s talk about things that we know are less controversial’ – which is not being stuck in traffic.”
FULL STORY: In sprawling Charlotte, traffic jams point to climate solutions
Post-Helene Reflections on Solastalgia and Community
Solastalgia is an increasingly relevant word that refers to the homesickness one feels when still at home, caused by distress due to environmental change in one’s home environment – for example, after a hurricane or wildfire.
Why Nevada Needs Sustainable, Smart Growth
Sprawling cities like Las Vegas must rein in unchecked growth and promote infill development and more sustainable transportation modes.
Charlotte Transit Agency Calls for New Sales Tax To Improve Service
The agency's CEO says the system needs more funding to make service improvements and make the shift to an electrified fleet.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research