Sustainable Urban Development
With cities expected to host about 70 percent of the world's population, sustainable urban development is key to making communities worldwide more resilient against the growing threat of climate change. Find out about the latest urban practices from across the world aiming to make our cities more sustainable and inclusive in these good-news stories from The Optimist Daily.
This futuristic footbridge in Paris is an ode to sustainable urban design
Known for their tendency to blend architecture, technology, and nature in a most compelling way, Vincent Callebaut Architectures have recently revealed their latest sustainable design — a green footbridge that aims to make Paris a more liveable and sustainable place to live. Called ‘the Green Read More...
The largest wildlife bridge in America has just opened in San Antonio
In recent months, we’ve shared a couple of stories about highway crossings for wildlife in the US. The first came in October when it was announced that a giant wildlife bridge would be built in the Los Angeles area to help mountain lions and other native animals cross over the US 101 freeway. Read More...
This manifesto calls on urban designers to build for a sustainable future
With today’s rapid rate of urbanization, cities across the world are facing increasing pressure to expand their built environment. However, if we are to prevent the looming threats of the climate crisis, urban planners need to rethink the way we build our homes. A recent manifesto was written by Read More...
Santa Barbara replaces derogatory street name with beautiful alternative
We often report on bills, laws, and leaders making forward progress around the world, but often these nationwide changes start with small local initiatives. One such example this week is from Santa Barbara, California where residents said goodbye to a symbol of racism and oppression in their Read More...
54 global cities on track to meet climate targets from the Paris agreement
Just ahead of the fifth anniversary of the landmark Paris climate agreement, a new study by the C40 cities network has some great news. A total of 54 of the world’s leading cities are on track to meet targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris agreement, which is crucial for Read More...
Jack Dorsey donates $15 million to fund more guaranteed income pilots
Back in July, we wrote about the founding of a coalition called Mayors for Guaranteed Income, which was started by Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. The group’s purpose is to start piloting guaranteed income programs in cities as a way to support people who are struggling during the economic crisis Read More...
Bamboo bridge seeks to help reptiles cross over busy road
In the mountainous state of Uttarakhand in India, a bridge was built across a busy road that cuts through the forest. Not for humans or cars, but rather for reptiles and other small animals. The new “Eco Bridge” is 90 feet long and made from bamboo, jute, and grass. Local officials say Read More...
This green building can be completely dismantled and repurposed
When building the new Braunstein Brewery taphouse in Køge, Denmark, designers did something a little unusual. They put as much thought into taking the structure down as building it in the first place. The innovative design allows the building to be completely disassembled into reusable pieces at Read More...
AI mapping tool shows cities exactly where they need to plant more trees
From boosting air quality to providing shade, there are many benefits that come with planting trees in urban neighborhoods. The only problem is that in many cities, trees are not equitably distributed amongst neighborhoods. To help ensure a more equal spread of the greens in cities, Google has Read More...
NASA: Nitrogen dioxide levels dropped 20% since the pandemic began
Human activity strayed far from the norm this year as the coronavirus pandemic forced many countries to effectively shut down. Now, many months after the first countries went into lockdown, scientists from NASA have gaged just how much pollution levels have dropped due to Covid-related declines in Read More...