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.
Elon Musk wants to upgrade sewage systems in cities across America
Speaking before a crowd of 3,800 mayors, Elon Musk announced plans to employ his ‘ground-breaking’ tunneling technology to upgrade underground sewage systems in cities across the US. Musk’s Boring Company is already busy constructing an underground rapid transportation system in Los Angeles, Read More...
The Boring Company’s first tunnel beneath LA will open to the public in December
The Los Angeles public will get their first ride on Elon Musk’s underground public transportation system quicker than expected. In December, the two-mile test tunnel built beneath SpaceX’s headquarters will offer free rides on autonomously driven electric platforms called “skates.” The Read More...
This study proves why building a hyperloop in America’s heartland is a good idea
Building a hyperloop route from Kansas City to St. Louis would be well worth the effort, according to a new study. Researchers examined the engineering, viability and economic challenges of a proposed line running parallel to the I-70, and they found that it would not only cut the journey between Read More...
What social inequality looks like from the sky
Although the realities of social inequality are not always visible in our day to day lives, from the skies they are easily distinguishable. Social inequality manifests itself in the physical structure of our cities and nowhere is that more apparent than from above. Using aerial drone photography, Read More...
New elevator design could disrupt city infrastructure
It seems the endless minutes spent waiting for elevators to arrive has been inspiring more engineers. We’ve already covered the world’s first rope-free elevator and now, UK firm PLP Architecture is using a new system to create more adaptive elevator Read More...
Would you turn your on-street parking spot into a green space?
If you owned a townhouse, how would you feel if you could turn your on-street parking spot into whatever space you like? Residents in a particular neighborhood in The Hague are being offered just that by the city council. Citizens willing to forego on-street parking may turn their space into Read More...
An exclusive look at Airbnb's first foray into urban planning
Two years ago, the founders of Airbnb were asking themselves what the company could become, now that its vision of becoming the world's largest home-share community had come true beyond their wildest expectations. That’s when they happened across a list of the top 10 tech companies of the 1990s. Read More...
Research Suggests Uber Might Be Making Our Roads Safer
There is a lot that can be said about Uber, the popular car service and mobile app. On one hand, the company has been hailed as the gold standard of sharing-economy startups, providing a much-needed service to cities with transportation systems strained by overuse. On the other, Uber has faced any Read More...