Parking Meters and the Perils of Privatization

Last week I taped a segment for a film project on privatization. For some reason, people keep seeking me out to be the guy that will take an anti-privatization point of view. That always puzzles me because I’m generally favorable to it. I’m a big fan of the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll Road leases, which were clearly grand slam home... [read more]

Tax revenue from downtown mixed-use outperforms big-box superstores and malls

   Analysis of property tax revenues from Sarasota, Florida reveals that mixed-use, compact development outperforms Walmarts and conventional shopping malls by a considerable margin when compared on a revenue-per-acre basis.  So writes one of our better observers of the built environment, Mary Newsom, in The Charlotte... [read more]

India cuts gas subsidy in favor of greener investments?

Dehli Metro, Phase OneIs India trying to turn a corner toward more sustainable economic development with its recent reduction in fossil fuel subsidies?India's decision to completely cut gasoline subsidies last month has created national protests, as new unsubsidized gas prices rose to about $4.60 a gallon. The country has also reduced... [read more]

Sustainable Consumption and Production: European retailers deliver green code of conduct

Brussels, 24 June 2010. European business leaders today delivered a voluntary environmental code of conduct for the retail sector. Retailers signing up to the code commit to a set of principles and measures aimed at reducing their environmental footprint.  The Retail Environmental Sustainability Code was presented to EU Environment... [read more]

Green Building Law--Battle of the Blogs

Today, my co-conspirator and green building blog buddy over at Green Building Law Update criticized a post I wrote a few weeks back on Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle vetoing a green building bill that mandated 15% of gross square footage of state space to be LEED certified.  The essence of Chris' piece is that The Governor... [read more]

Little Energy Bill Likely To Include Energy Efficiency Code

<!--break--> Kerry and Lieberman are due to unveil their long awaited--and until Lindsay Graham's recent exit, nominally bipartisan--cap-and-trade bill this week.  But in a less heralded move, Harry Reid indicated that he could do a smaller energy bill which would likely include national energy efficiency codes.  According... [read more]

Moving Towards a Green Economy

<!--break--> The “Good Jobs, Green Jobs” National Conference, which was put together by an interesting mix of environmental organizations (Environmental Defense Fund, Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council), built environment organizations (American Institute of Architects, U.S. Green Building Council), and major... [read more]

From Global Green New Deal to Global Green Recovery

<!--break--> Asia and in particular China and the Republic of Korea are pioneering an economic and employment recovery based in part on significant investments in a Green Economy. Over a third of China’s stimulus package, equal to three per cent of its GDP, is being spent on high speed rail to boosting its already impressive growth in... [read more]

Make money. Save the planet, too.

<!--break--> Like most big problems, climate change will require big solutions. Governments and business will have to make massive investment in clean energy–$45 trillion between now and 2025, says the International Energy Agency. This could make some people very rich. Wall Street, are you listening? Deutsche Bank is. No financial... [read more]

Flip This Town! Wauconda, Washington sold on eBay

<!--break-->   Daphne Fletcher recently put the town of Wauconda, Washington – zip code 98859, about three hours northwest of Spokane and close to the Canadian border -- up for sale on eBay, asking price $359,000.  She got $1000 over the asking price.  The happy buyers-to-be are Maddie and Neal Love of Bothell,... [read more]

The Exurban Meltdown: We Are Goldman Sachs

<!--break--> Did runaway exurban sprawl--particularly in hypergrowth Sunbelt communities--help create the conditions for gaming in financial industry? In other words, Goldman Sachs and other financial firms gave us what we wanted as a nation and then bet against us when they saw too many suckers entering the game.... [read more]

Pricing Nature

<!--break--> This week, as part of the Radio 4 series ‘Costing the Earth’, presenter Tom Heap interviewed various people who are interested in the idea of putting a price on nature. Ian Bateman from the National Ecosystem Assessment explained how this project aims to use scientific assessment to put monetary value on the natural... [read more]