• Climate Change
• Economic Development

We Are Missing the Boat, Mr. Trump!

“In the waterlogged Netherlands, climate change is considered neither a hypothetical nor a drag on the economy. Instead, it’s an opportunity.”

• Climate Change
• Economic Development

A Strong Argument Against Climate Despair

Paul Krugman (admittedly one of my favorite columnists and definitely my favorite economist) publicizes new economic analyses that show that we CAN afford to significantly reduce emissions and even prosper while doing so. Far from having to “live in the dark and freeze,” as threatened by the Koch Bros misinformation machine, a move to renewable […]

• City Planning
• Economic Development
• public space
• Sustainable Economy

Urban Mathematics: Big Data Can Help Us Design Better Cities

“…Patterns of idea flow…are directly related to productivity growth and creative output. Individuals, organizations, cities and even entire societies that engage with one another and explore outside their social group have higher productivity, greater creative output and even longer, healthier lives…

• Bicycle Advocacy
• City Planning
• Economic Development

Biking in Montreal?

Portland State’s Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation invited Jean Francois Provenent of Velò Quebec to speak on cycling in Montreal and Quebec. This was my preconception of biking in Montreal… Creative Commons: Mikeygottowa

• Economic Development
• Vital Urban Communities

One Continent or Two? Denver Hosts Biennial of the Americas

Denver just pulled off what should rightly be the love-child of New York City or Los Angeles, a brain-fest of culture, thought and provocation celebrating the Americas as one continent (and one market). In its third year, the Biennial of the Americas featured leading edge art installations including a series of billboards around town, cultural nights open to the public, symposia featuring big movers and shakers…[

• Economic Development
• Healthy Cities

Did Beer Really Save Cleveland?

The Savior of Cleveland?

Much as I wish it to be true, that brewing beer rescues neighborhoods, jumpstarts local economies and turns around failing cities but…

• Bicycle Advocacy
• City Planning
• Climate Change
• Economic Development

Who Killed the CRC?

CRC is dead, says Oregon Governor Kitzhaber… Who will claim the kill?
WA state Senator Don Benton (R) or Robert Liberty, ex-1000 Friends of Oregon

• Active Citizenship
• Economic Development
• Smart Resource Use

Community and Furniture Building in Rural Japan

Up in the hills between Osaka and Tokyo is a small village that is pretty typical of much of rural Japan. Beautiful old houses, forested hillsides, a river running through it and silence. The woods are quiet because it is cheaper to import wood from Indonesia than to cut and process here. The town is quiet because many of the houses are empty…

• Climate Change
• Economic Development
• energy
• Sustainable Economy
• Uncategorized

Carbon Tax: A Tool to Create Economic Growth

What would happen if we decided to tax the burning of fossil fuels–gasoline, natural gas, coal–and gave back the money to businesses and individuals as rebates on their income taxes?

• Climate Change
• Economic Development
• energy
• Energy Management
• housing
• Sustainable Economy

Can Renewable Energy Fill the Gap?

One of the big questions hurled by the defenders of the fossil fuel age is that low-carbon energy technologies just can’t be ramped up to meet the burgeoning need of growing economies worldwide. And, of course, they shed alligator tears at this point over their concern for the billions of poor people yearning for refrigerators and cars who, they contend, would be left in poverty by the heartless “climate alarmists.” But it is a great question. Can we produce the energy for a vibrant, equitable economy without fossil fuels?