Author: Steve Davis

How we use land drives the demand for oil; better land use = less oil use

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On a Friday where anyone can bring up a live video stream on their computer of oil still pouring from a broken well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, perhaps you, like a lot of Americans, feel a little powerless about it and aren’t sure what we can really do to prevent such a disaster in the future. While certainly not responsible for the spill itself, that well and thousands of others are there because we need quite a lot of oil every day.

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Biking and walking advocates thank Sec. of Transportation for making biking walking safer, more important

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Some of us here at SGA, through our other work at Transportation for America and the National Complete Streets Coalition, joined with other advocates for biking and walking to ride to the US DOT last Friday to thank Sec. LaHood for recent policy changes to include the needs of bikers and walkers in transportation planning. Check out the video from the T4America youtube channel.

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EPA tweaks official water policy to invest in existing communities, save taxpayer money

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Supported by encouragement and recommendations from Smart Growth America, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a new policy in late March to guide how billions in annual federal water funds should be used. The new guidance ensures that water facilities that communities depend on every day aren’t neglected in favor of running new systems out to undeveloped areas, saving taxpayer money in the process.

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Help SGA sponsor the American Makeover series

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Remember the great video series we were promoting earlier this week? Help Smart Growth America become a sponsor of American Makeover. We’re trying to raise $500 by Saturday, May 8 to have the SGA logo and a brief message included in the opening credits of a future episode.

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Forget homes and plastic surgery, new online video series promotes an "American Makeover"

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The makers of a viral sensation from last year (Built to Last) are back with a new video series that takes a hard look at America’s collective frustration with sprawl and the smarter alternatives for growth and development happening in communities across the country. “With ugly sprawl everywhere you look in America, it’s time for a … Continued

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Forget home and plastic surgery makeovers, new online video series promotes an "American Makeover"

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The makers of a viral sensation from last year (Built to Last) are back with a new video series that takes a hard look at America’s collective frustration with sprawl and the promises it failed to deliver on and the smarter alternatives for growth and development happening in communities across the country. [VIDEO]

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Rating system for green, sustainable neighborhood design launches today

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LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System Launches as Benchmark for Green Neighborhood Design Environmental Leaders Partner to Advance Walkable, Sustainable and Economically Thriving Communities

Washington, D.C. – (April 29, 2010) – Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) announced the launch of the LEED for Neighborhood Development green neighborhoods rating system. LEED for Neighborhood Development integrates the principles of smart growth, new urbanism and green building and benefits communities by reducing urban sprawl, increasing transportation choice and decreasing automobile dependence, encouraging healthy living, and protecting threatened species.

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Climate bill to be released within weeks: Washington Update

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Senate Lawmakers Working on New Climate and Energy Bill
LEGISLATION EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED MID-APRIL

After months of meetings with congressional members, stakeholders and industry leaders, Senators John Kerry (D-MA) Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) have decided to wait to release their climate and energy bill for a few more weeks to ensure they have broad support for the proposal. Senator Kerry has indicated that the bill could be introduced the week of April 19, although any concrete timeline for its passage remains uncertain.

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New poll shows Americans strongly support public transportation; more walking & biking

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A new national poll conducted for Transportation for America, Smart Growth America, and the Natural Resources Defense Council shows that American voters overwhelmingly support broader access to public transportation and safe walking and biking. The poll shows strong support for increased transportation options, and accountability for future spending, across both geographic areas and political lines. … Continued

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Why do some in DC think livability is not a small town value? Part II

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From the President down to the Secretary of Transportation, administration officials have spent the year vocally supporting a focus on livability from the federal government — doing what’s in their power to encourage smarter, people-centric planning to create more great places to live where residents have numerous options for getting around and a high quality of life. Perhaps unsurprisingly in this polarized white-hot political era, there’s been a backlash in Congress from some rural legislators. But isn’t livability really a quintessential small-town value? Part two of a personal reflection on small city livability.

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