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How Los Angeles Became the Leader of a Tree-Planting Revolution

Shawnté Salabert

April 22, 2022 |

Outside |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

City Plants, an organization in Los Angeles, is partnering with other nonprofits, government agencies, scientists, and residents to create a more equitable urban forest throughout the city. By working together and using technology, they have planted more than 65,000 trees to combat climate change, systemic racism, and high temperatures that affect all Angelenos.

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What Is the Future of America's Greenest Town?

Anne Kniggendorf

April 19, 2022 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Greensburg, Kansas

After a tornado devastated Greensburg, Kansas, the town decided to use the disaster as an opportunity to become more environmentally sustainable. For example, they built a new school out of recycled wood and it was powered with geothermal heat. While the maintenance of these sustainable features can be tricky, this shift to a greener town can be a case study for others looking to make the transition.

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Raise or retreat? Home elevation aims to protect historic houses

Adrienne Mayfield

April 15, 2022 |

WAVY-TV |

Multi-Media |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Virginia

As waters continue to rise and flood homes at sea levels, some homeowners are spending thousands of dollars to raise their homes off the ground. This solution that has been tried in Charleston is expensive, but some people think it can also work in Virginia. One industry expert started the Home Raising Academy, a workforce development program, to train architects, engineers, realtors, and government officials on floodplain management, insurance, and financing for home elevations in the area.

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Cooperatively Owned Builder Sees Affordable Housing, Climate Action in ‘Granny Flats'

Ashira Morris

March 03, 2022 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Evanston, Illinois

A building cooperative is changing local zoning laws and building small houses known as accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in the suburbs of Chicago. The efforts support economic equity by increasing the supply of housing in a community where housing and rental prices have been on the rise. ADUs also produce smaller carbon footprints, making them a sustainable housing option.

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How one small road is teaching Norfolk big lessons on flood mitigation

Adrienne Mayfield

March 02, 2022 |

WAVY-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Norfolk, Virginia

In Norfolk, Virginia, city planners are mitigating seasonal floods by planning for the future. City planners raised intersections on two key streets of an intersection and built a park to restore wetlands.

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How women-friendly design could make Philly a more livable city for all

Courtney Duchene

January 13, 2022 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Austria, Vienna

As the result of a photography exhibit that highlighted the gender inequality built into public transportation, Vienna directed resources to make urban planning more equitable. The city now prioritizes more streetlights to address public safety concerns, wider sidewalks to accommodate strollers, more benches, apartment buildings with stroller storage spaces, and more. The efforts have resulted in more accessible infrastructure, increasing not just the quality of life for women, but for all residents of the city.

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On the bricks: Efforts to increase commercial affordability in Boulder and beyond take time and planning

Angela K. Evans

November 11, 2021 |

Boulder Weekly |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Portland, Oregon

A big factor in the high costs of doing business in Boulder is a tight and expensive commercial real estate market. Some of the many initiatives the city is considering are beginning to work already in Portland. There, the city's economic development agency, Prosper Portland, has acted as an intermediary to open more affordable spaces to small, local businesses. With extras like marketing and accounting help, the program managed to retain all of its original tenants, although a big push to enlist private developers in creating new space has hit snags.

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Sanitation solutions: How giving people trash bins made Baltimore cleaner

Meir Rinde

October 20, 2021 |

WHYY |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore’s green bin program shows there are relatively simple steps cities can take to tangibly improve the cleanliness of neighborhoods. The solution is also working in Philadelphia, through which people who live in the city are lidded trash cans and bins to store their garbage.

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With investors knocking, Charlotte HOAs are starting to change their rules

Lauren Lindstrom

October 01, 2021 |

The Charlotte Observer |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Charlotte, North Carolina

One reason the market for middle-income housing has grown tight in Charlotte is a shortage of available homes for sale because corporate investors have bought so many developments for their rental income. To preserve affordable housing and encourage healthier communities, some homeowners associations are using restrictive deed covenants to try to limit corporate owners' encroachments. In one neighborhood, it seems to have worked, but there are legal complications that must be considered as other HOAs seek to copy the tactic.

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How Zurich Blazed a Trail for Recycled Concrete

Corinne Gretler

September 26, 2021 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Switzerland, Zurich

Zurich, Switzerland's largest city, is paving the way for sustainable building. Concrete is a major contributor of climate change due to the process it requires to make it. Zurich is making steps to reduce its use. A school building was constructed in 2002 with 80 percent recycled concrete. Three years later city officials passed a requirement that required all publicly-owned buildings to be made with recycled concrete and in 2013 ordered the use of CO2 reduced cement. According to a study the effort has saved 17,000 cubic meters of virgin materials.

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