Climate Cities
All Stories
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Whole Watta Love
Small automakers roll out electric cars The climate is right for electric cars, and several automakers are rolling out new models. It’s “an untapped market that is phenomenal,” says the […]
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‘Cane Do Spirit
Hurricane researchers unite in call to curb coastal development The media has made much of the disagreement among hurricane researchers about the effects of global warming on storm strength. So […]
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Sprawl bribery is beating smart growth
The following is a guest essay from Joel S. Hirschhorn, author of Sprawl Kills: How Blandburbs Steal Your Time, Health and Money. He can be reached through sprawlkills.com.
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When the small town of Warrenton in sprawl-rich northern Virginia received an offer of $22 million in cash from Centex Homes, one of the nation's largest developers and home builders, one reaction of concerned parties was, OK, sounds like an environmentally acceptable plan for nearly 300 new homes. But closer examination reveals a development plan that comes nowhere near meeting smart-growth values. It also illustrates the tactics of large sprawl developers as they face opposition from those concerned about uncontrolled growth gobbling up rural America. Sprawl bribery is just another dimension of sprawl politics: using money to buy off government officials. And using just one aspect of good smart growth design -- clustering of homes -- creates the illusion of environmental benefit.
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Who Pimped the Electric Car?
Silicon Valley startup unveils sexy electric car As gas prices rise and vehicle emissions nudge the planet toward chaos, a Silicon Valley startup is hyping the electric Tesla Roadster — […]
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New museum exhibit shows visitors how to build green
Sometimes it feels tough to get through a day without despoiling the planet. The products most of us use come through a wasteful global production chain; discarding old stuff is […]
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Plugs and Kisses
Toyota considering plug-in hybrids and flex-fuel vehicles for U.S. Toyota plans to develop a plug-in hybrid vehicle, the company announced this week. Rechargeable via any typical electrical outlet, a plug-in […]
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Act Normal
Illinois mom blogs about her car-free month In some ways, Christine Gardner lives a normal life — she’s a mom, a writer, and, after all, she lives in Normal, Ill. […]
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Unimpressive at Any Speed
Average fuel economy of U.S. vehicles no better than last year The average fuel economy of 2006 model-year vehicles in the U.S. is a guzzle-rific 21 miles per gallon, the […]
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Blake Mycoskie, founder of eco-friendly driving school, answers questions
Blake Mycoskie. What’s your job title? I’m cofounder and chair of Drivers Ed Direct. How does your work relate to the environment? Photo: Drivers Ed Direct. We teach kids to […]
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An interview with smart-growth expert and author Anthony Flint
Few debates in the U.S. are more emotionally charged than the one over sprawl — the exodus, since World War II, of America’s middle class from cities to far-flung residential […]