Parking Meters Provide Area for Mini-Parks
Some folks in San Francisco decided there was not enough green space downtown and "leased" the space provided by a parking meter for cars and created a mini-park for a day.
Urban
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Love at First Ride - Vancouver Couple Weds Aboard Transit Bus
Vancouver's downtown bus drivers - and their passengers - are quite a friendly bunch. One woman even met her true love and the pair asked the transit officials if they could get married on bus No.3.
A Green Leader, Philadelphia Captures Water Where it Falls
Every year storm-water run-off causes nearly 10 trillion gallons of polluted water to be dumped into America's rivers and oceans. As cities across the country struggle to comply with federal regulations surrounding pollution, Philadelphia is emerging as a model of innovation in water management by opting for cost effective natural solutions that save its two rivers from excessive run-off.
Sewage-Sniffing Dogs Locate Trouble Spots Along Milwaukee River
Canines have a sense of smell 1,000 times better than humans. Now, Milwaukee Riverkeepers has partnered with Environmental Canine Services to sniff and test over 50 manholes around Milwaukee. If the dogs hit on a spot, underground pipes are tested and water samples sent to the Great Lakes Water Institute for analysis.
Transforming Milwaukee's Vacant Lots Into A New Agricultural Economy
The Home Gr/own initiative is turning Milwaukee's thousands of vacant lots and idled citizens into a source of food and jobs in food production, processing, and distribution.
Milwaukee Neighborhood Rallies To Put Young Boys On The Right Path
In Milwaukee, there's an experiment underway to set at-risk boys on the right path. They're offered pay for doing neighborhood chores and they receive guidance from older men in the community.
Finding "Lost Lots" to Make More Parks in LA
Over the last few years, Los Angeles and other cities have been moving to convert vacant lots, underused city streets, utility corridors, traffic medians and alleys into small parks, plazas, bikeways and pedestrian corridors so urban residents have green havens within a 10-minute walk.
London 'Cyclist Utopia' Unveiled in Elevated Skyways Plan
British architect Norman Foster has unveiled a concept to build a network of elevated pathways above London's railways to create safe car-free cycling routes in the wake the most deadly year for cyclists in the city's history.
Falcons Soar Off Endangered List With Irony, From Nests in City Skyscrapers
After nearly becoming extinct in North America due to pesticides, the fastest species on earth is rebounding, thanks to humans and modern skyscrapers.
Chicago Anti-gang Efforts Tame Street Violence
Chicago's overall crime rate fell last year to a level not seen since 1972, and the number of shooting incidents involving victims 16 and younger dropped 40 percent in 12 months, city officials say.
Giant Escalator Installed for the Poor in Steep Colombian Shanty Town
The Colombian city of Medellin has opened a giant outdoor escalator for residents of one of its poorest shanty towns. The escalator is divided into six sections that transform a 35 minute climb into a 6 minute ride.
There's a Green Sanctuary Atop NYC's Largest Convention Center
Atop a 17-story building in NYC lies a hidden sanctuary–a green space the size of five football fields to harbor wildlife, save energy, and divert runoff.
Field of Greens: Baseball Stadiums Grow Veggies on Roof to Feed Fans
Several Major League Baseball teams have joined the urban farming movement, raising crops in their stadiums–even right on their rooftops– to green up the menu.
Anonymous Donor Gives $34 Million to One of California's Poorest Cities
How does someone give a "transformative" gift to preschoolers, minority students, low-income renters and ex-cons, all at once with the stroke of a pen?
America's Biggest Landfill To Become New York's Largest Solar Project
What was once the largest landfill on the planet is being reinvented to provide solar energy to New York City -- enough to power 2,000 homes. Mayor Bloomberg announced last week the city's plans to convert the 47 acres into a 10-MW solar installation, boosting the city's renewable energy by 50 percent.
New U.S. Plan for Solar Power Will Light Up Low-Income Homes
Solar power for low-income housing and apartment renters is part of a broad White House plan to expand solar energy with the help of private partners.
Canada's Cities Report 50% Drop in Homelessness
The State of Homeless in Canada 2013, released this week by the Canadian Homelessness Research Network and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, showed a 51 percent drop in the number of people living on the streets of Toronto between 2006 and 2011. Vancouver did even better, as coast to coast municipalities were turning the tide.
Ontario: Where Did All the Smog Go?
The London area of Ontario hasn't had a smog advisory for 18 months, a dramatic reversal for a region that once suffered through dozens of smog days a year and traditionally has some of Canada's dirtiest air
Cafe Serves Up Second Chances to Homeless Youth in Denver
The Purple Door Coffee shop is considered one of Denver's best—and not just because of the beans. Their "royal" purple doors are open to serving jobs to homeless youth.
WWII Vet Leaves $3.3 Million to Skid Row Charities
During the next several weeks, more than $3 million will be given to skid row charities that care for the poorest residents in Los Angeles, thanks to a reclusive WWII veteran.
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