Public Health
Nature and Nurture: Understanding the Diversity of Biophilia
Biophilia, originally thought to be an innate and universal love for nature, is now understood as a temperament trait with significant individual differences influenced by genetics and experience.
Key Climate and Health Issues to Watch in 2025
The escalating health impacts of climate change, from extreme heat to sea level rise, highlight the urgent need for integrated medical education, proactive communication, and sustainable policy solutions to protect public health.
Phoenix Shade Plan Focuses on Bus Stops
The city’s updated Shade Master Plan calls for trees and built structures at bus stops to protect residents from heat.
New York Law Addresses Extreme Heat in Schools
The law calls for heat mitigation measures when temperatures exceed 88 degrees.
Silent Threat: America’s Abandoned Oil Wells and the Danger Beneath
Abandoned oil and gas wells across the U.S. pose significant environmental, health, and safety risks, with many leaking hazardous gases and chemicals, highlighting regulatory failures and the immense financial burden of remediation.
Students Drive Solutions for Environmental Justice Through Video Challenge
The Environmental Justice Video Challenge empowers students and communities to collaboratively address environmental inequities through innovative data-driven strategies, resulting in impactful projects and fostering local leadership.
New Jersey to Consider Charging Fossil Fuel Companies for Pollution
A proposed law would make companies liable for damages caused by burning fossil fuels.
Ohio Invests $58 Million to Revitalize Brownfields and Boost Local Economies
This investment in brownfield remediation will clean up hazardous sites, foster economic development, and create jobs through 61 new projects across 33 counties.
Balancing TOD and Public Health
Building housing near transportation networks can improve density and walkability, but can also have serious health consequences for residents.
Opinion: Supporting Electric School Buses is the Right Thing to Do — and Fiscally Conservative
Why switching school bus fleets to electric vehicles is good for students, the environment, and school districts’ finances.
Addressing Orphan Wells for Environmental Justice
Remediating and repurposing some orphan oil and gas wells into parks can turn environmental hazards into community assets, promoting health, environmental justice, and accessible green space for underserved areas.
Branching Out: Building Health and Equity Through Community Forestry
Los Angeles County’s Community Forest Management Plan seeks to create a healthier, more equitable community forest by expanding tree coverage, engaging communities, and building resilience to climate impacts.
SCOTUS Hamstrings Federal Agencies, a Blow to Housing and Health Equity
The Supreme Court has overturned the legal precedent Chevron deference. Without the authority to interpret ambiguities in regulations, the critical work of HHS and HUD could suffer.
Addressing Tree Canopy Disparity in South Los Angeles
A new study highlights the complex challenge of addressing tree canopy disparities in South L.A., where historical environmental injustices, budget constraints, and competing community priorities hinder efforts to increase equitable tree coverage.
How Local Parks Promote Equitable Outdoor Access
Targeted investments in local parks, improved infrastructure, and enhanced transit connectivity are essential strategies to close the nature gap and ensure equitable outdoor access for underserved communities.
Baltimore Bans Gas Leafblowers
The devices release as much air pollution as driving 1,100 miles and have been banned in over 100 U.S. cities.
Singapore: A Model for Longevity and Quality of Life
Singapore's remarkable rise in life expectancy, driven by government policies on health, green spaces, and social cohesion, has earned it the distinction of being named the world's sixth “Blue Zone.”
President Sets New Deadline for Replacing Lead Pipes
U.S. cities are charged with replacing dangerous lead pipes and improving drinking water quality within the next 13 years.
How Does Air Quality in a Philly Subway Station Compare to the Outdoors?
A team of researchers found much higher levels of particulate matter inside the City Hall subway station than on the street-level sidewalks directly above the station.
Intense October Heat Wave Raises Fire Risk in California
Unusually high temperatures across the state are prompting power shutoffs and could fuel more destructive wildfires.
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.
Caltrans
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
