Cities, Towns, Transport

A livable, sustainable human habitat.

A “Living” Built Environment

by Jason McLennan

posted Nov 16, 2009

What if buildings, communities, and infrastructure projects were designed to be beautiful, socially just, and as gentle on the environment as plants are?

Climate Hero Marcus Ryan

by Kate Sheppard

posted Nov 10, 2009

A former Obama campaigner helps neighbors find talented green workers to make their homes climate-friendly.

Scoring Transit and Walkability

by Brooke Jarvis

posted Nov 06, 2009

Walk Score, a website that ranks the walkability of neighborhoods, now includes public transit in its rankings. Realtors say a good Walk Score rating adds major value to property listings.

Bamboo Bikes

posted Oct 06, 2009

The Bamboo Bike Studio in Brooklyn, New York, teaches students to build their own bamboo bicycles in one weekend. Workshop proceeds help finance bamboo bike factories in Ghana, Kenya, and Ecuador.

Brooklyn's Bamboo Bikes

by Justine Simon

posted Oct 06, 2009

DIY bikes made from sustainable materials solve problems in New York and in Africa.

The Greening of Southie

posted Aug 14, 2009

A feature documentary about Boston’s first residential green building, and the men and women who set out to construct it.

YES! Bikes to Work—All Month

posted Apr 29, 2009

May is national bike month. To celebrate, YES! staff members are joining one of the biggest bike commuter events on the West Coast: the 2009 Group Health Commute Challenge. Check back all month as YES! staff members report back from their green commute.

Bike Kitchens: Building Community, Bikes

by Rob Forbes

posted Apr 28, 2009

A bike kitchen is a community-based, hands-on workshop that provides free (or almost free) help to people who need to fix their bikes. Find out more about these places that are popping up across the U.S. and Canada.

Pedal People Put the Cycling in Recycling

by Laura Kaliebe

posted Apr 21, 2009

In all types of weather, the staff of Pedal People Cooperative Inc. can be found hauling up to 300 pounds of trash, recycling and compost on trailers hitched to the back of their bikes.

Dream House

by Dee Williams

posted Nov 04, 2008

Positive change begins at home. So when Dee Williams decided to change her life, thats where she started. In fact, she redefined what "home" meant, right down to what it was, and where it could go.

No Foreclosures Here

by Holly Sklar

posted Oct 31, 2008

With the housing crisis nationwide driving struggling families from their homes, Boston’s creative Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative shows how communities can hold their ground.

Living Large in a Tiny House

by Carol Estes

posted Oct 31, 2008

Dee Williams doesn't need a big house to be happy. Instead she found happiness in a 84-square foot house on wheels.

Sustainability in Seattle: Green Buildings

by Richard Conlin

posted Oct 20, 2008

Seattle has one of the largest stocks of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings in the country. Conlin said the city uses its power as both a regulator and an economic force to push the rest of the city and region to adopting greener building styles and methods.

In Review :: The Urban Homestead and Northwest Green Home Primer

by Pamela O'Malley Chang

posted Jul 30, 2008

A good-natured guide for urbanites who want to live off the land without leaving the city limits.

Community Land Trust Keeps Prices Affordable—For Now And Forever

by Daniel Fireside

posted Jul 29, 2008

Community Housing Trusts buy land and houses, not for profit, but to keep them affordable for low- and middle-income residents. Daniel Fireside looks at the success of Vermont's 25-year-old Champlain Housing Trust, which provides homes for 2,100 households.