There are many things that local communities can do to fight climate change, both in municipal operations and throughout the community. In many cases, these actions save energy and money at the same time. From reducing energy use in buildings and improving waste management to enhancing public transportation and employing smart growth, cities have the power to create the necessary change… if they are willing to do so.

Transit Agencies are increasingly investing in Marketing to boost ridership. Climate change is sometimes a focus. The automobile industry spent about $21 billion on advertising in 2007, according to DM News. Clearly they would not spend this kind of money to convince us all that we can’t live without a car unless it actually worked.  [...]

Richard Register of Ecocity Builders has created a rendering of the de-urbanization of now sprawling Denver, CO. TDR could help achieve this end with the benefit of reducing vehicle miles traveled and thus, carbon emissions and restoring needed farmland. When local governments want to encourage density and prevent or undo suburban sprawl, one of their [...]

Freiburg is known as an ecocity. The newly built neighbourhoods of Vauban and Rieselfeld were developed and built according to the idea of sustainability. The citizens of Freiburg are known in Germany for their love of cycling and recycling. This past December, as climate talks in Copenhagen commenced, I sat in talks in Istanbul listening [...]

In an ideal smart grid system, energy users have a “smart meter” that tracks their energy consumption (and how much it’s costing them) in real time and allows them to make adjustments accordingly.  In addition, ample renewable power is available on the grid, and renewable power producers can sell their excess power back to the [...]