San Francisco residents will get their first peek today at an inventive Internet-based tool that lets them track their personal carbon footprint and gauge how green their neighborhood is compared with the rest of the city.
"The Web site at UrbanEcoMap.org was built by Cisco Systems Inc., engineers using information such as trash collection, recycling rates and hybrid-car ownership to break down energy consumption and other environmental factors byZip code. For example, the map shows that Mayor Gavin Newsom's neighborhood has the 10th lowest level of overall carbon emissions.
The interactive technology won't be available to San Francisco users until mid-May, but residents can check out a video that explains the Web site and how to use it starting today.
"We hear so much about climate change, but the challenge is either so abstract or so big that consumers don't know what they can really do," said Wolfgang Wagener, director of the connected urban development program for Cisco. "The ecomap provides citizens with concrete, tangible access to information and resources with relevance to their daily life."
San Francisco is the first city in the world to take advantage of the ecomap technology. Amsterdam and Seoul will follow sometime this year. The maps will be updated regularly as part of a 12-month pilot project paid for by Cisco, which plans to transform the site to nonprofit status sometime in 2010."
Thanks to Laine Cidlowski
FULL STORY: Net tool tracks carbon footprint by ZIP code
The Neighborhood Carbon Challenge
A neighborhood in Corvallis, Oregon, is the pilot site of a neighborhood-wide "carbon challenge" in which residents try to reduce their carbon footprint.
Mapping Climate Impact at the Neighborhood Level
A consumption-based analysis illustrates the differences in average household emissions across census tracts.
Georgia's Efforts to Reduce Carbon Emissions
The state is diversifying its energy sources to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, in line with federal climate goals.
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