Air Pollution
Strict Standards for Ship Emissions Cleanse Bay Area Air
Thanks to a Calif. law implemented in 2008 requiring ocean-going ships to switch from high-sulfur bunker fuel to cleaner fuels within 24 miles of the coast, Bay Area air quality significantly improved by reducing deadly particulate emissions.
New Yorkers Breathe Easier as the City's Buildings Clean Up Their Act
A Bloomberg administration effort to get New York's most polluting buildings to convert to cleaner heating fuels has provided remarkable results, a new study reports.
Cut Emissions to Save Lives, If Not the Planet
Even if our warming planet wasn't threatened with environmental catastrophe, the case for reducing fossil-fuel use is an easy one to make. A new study shows that reduced air pollution from cutting emissions would save millions of lives by 2100.
China Announces Ambitious Plan to Tackle its Atrocious Air
As China's hazardous environment becomes a "potent political issue", the central government has released a detailed plan that aims to clean up the country's abysmal air pollution.
Meant to Deter, Utah's Bad Air Alerts Actually Increase Driving
Call it the law of unintended consequences. Alerts of "bad air days" that ask motorists in the Wasatch Front to reduce driving had the opposite effect, prompting some residents to drive away from lowlands to the mountains where air may be healthier.
Cities and States Most Impacted by Early Deaths from Air Pollution
An MIT study finds 200,000 early deaths per year in U.S. are attributed to air pollution. The biggest source is vehicle tailpipes at 53,000. Most impacted state: California; most impacted city: Baltimore.
EPA Move to Monitor Roadway Air Pollution May Have Broad Planning Impacts
With evidence on the harmful health impacts of vehicle emissions increasing, the EPA will begin monitoring pollution levels adjacent to freeways in Los Angeles and more than 100 of America's biggest cities. Experts say the action is long overdue.
New Report Quantifies Coal's Role in Reducing Chinese Longevity
An NAS study released July 08 shows that if you live in north of the Huai River in China, you can expect to live about 5.5 years less than those to the south. Air pollution, specifically particulate matter from burning coal, is the primary culprit.
New Study Shows Human Health Benefits of Soot-Scrubbing Trees
A new study published in the journal Environmental Pollution makes the first conclusive case for the ability of urban foliage to reduce fine particle pollution, reducing breathing problems and saving lives in the process.
Regulating Diesel Emissions: An Environmental Twofer
This toxic emission is not only a threat to public health but also the second largest contributor to global warming, according to CARB. A new study has found that regulations to reduce diesel emissions fight both climate change and air pollution.
Is Air Pollution Contributing to the Rise in Autism?
Asthma, cancer...autism. If you need yet another reason to abhor vehicle emissions and air pollution see a new report published in Environmental Health Perspectives which links in utero exposure to air pollutants to an increased risk of autism.
Court Ruling Means UK Cities May Need to Ban Cars
The UK's supreme court ruled this week that the government has failed to live up to its legal obligation to curb air pollution, in breach of an EU air quality directive.
America's Most Polluted Cities
Despite better news all around for the quality of the air in America's urban environs, there is still much work to be done, especially for those making the American Lung Association's annual survey of the country's most polluted cities.
Once a Paragon of Pollution, Mexico City's Residents Breathe Easier
While the news has been full of warnings about the rapidly deteriorating air quality of cities in the developing world, David Agren examines how one megacity has managed to drastically clean its polluted air over the past twenty years.
What It's Like to be a Child in China's Polluted Cities
Chronic coughs, stuffy noses, and face masks whenever you venture outside. Edward Wong looks at the "hell" that is childhood in China's polluted cities, which is forcing some affluent families to leave, and giving foreigners pause before entering.
New Study Details the Deadly Effects of China's Air Pollution Problem
New details from a landmark study on the leading causes of death worldwide presents a gloomy picture of the effect of air pollution on the health of China's residents. The toll is 25 million healthy years of life snatched from the population.
New Study is First to Show that Traffic Pollution Causes Childhood Asthma
While pollution from vehicle exhausts has been known for some time to exacerbate the symptoms of asthma, a new study published in the European Respiratory Journal establishes for the first time the direct causal link between the two.
Clash of Interests Holds Back China's Environmental Efforts
Pollution is a growing problem throughout China - one that even tight-lipped public officials have been forced to acknowledge. But conflicting government interests - between state-run polluters and concerned policy-makers - are holding back fixes.
Is the UK Ignoring Its Growing Public Health Crisis?
Air pollution is second only to smoking as a cause of premature death in Britain. So why haven't the country's leaders taken action to address the problem?
Bad Air Bedevils Utah
For a state that prides itself on being a nature lovers' paradise, a growing struggle with hazardous air pollution threatens Utah's very identity. Dan Frosch examines the factors contributing to the epidemic, and some of the proposed solutions.
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 Santa Clarita
Ascent Environmental
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
