• How the ‘Heart of Town’ saved a town’s future

    Compact development, which contributes to carbon reduction, is also useful for climate adaptation and the building of defensible places.
    It’s been 10 years this month since a new urban charrette was held in Jean Lafitte, Louisiana, a town of 2,000 people that had a very uncertain future. The low-density town is in a part of the state that is washing away into the Gulf of Mexico. Other towns in Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, most...Read more
  • Climate adaptation, mitigation, and urban design

    Analyzing how community design can impact various phases of climate change response, both local and global.
    Urban planning and design are among the most effective tools in dealing with climate change, because they address both mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation is global in scale—it involves the reduction of carbon emissions that are linked to rising global temperatures. Communities can lower...Read more
  • Tree canopies make us safe; Here’s how to grow them throughout cities

    A few days ago, I explained how planting street trees adapts to and mitigates climate change. Trees also bestow health, safety, and economic benefits. In other words: they are a “wonder drug” for cities. Trees are low tech, and are adored across the political spectrum. They can be planted through...Read more
  • Street trees: A wonder of climate adaptation

    Street trees have many benefits, but their climate impact is becoming more important all the time.
    Urban trees are among the most powerful tools that designers can use to help communities both mitigate and adapt to climate change. Trees are like outdoor air conditioners that operate as carbon sinks. The cooling impact of a single healthy tree from evaporation and absorbing sunlight “is...Read more