Livable Berkeley Newswire
The Livable Berkeley newswire includes hand-picked articles and sources of information relevant to our members and the Berkeley community.
New Land-Use Law's Message: Build Near Transit
Planning and environmental groups are heralding the passage of legislation designed to address global warming by curbing suburban sprawl...
A Costly City Tries Pricing its Parking by Popularity
San Francisco's MUNI has approved a pilot program to price 6,000 of the city's parking spots according to popularity.
Would $3 Gas Balance California's Budget?
California's commitement to reducing greenhouse gases plus plunging gasoline prices could present the State with an opportunity to address its budget deficit.
San Francisco Bay Area Plans to be Electric Car Capital
San Francisco Bay Area cities promised to build the electric car capital of the United States, announcing a plan to work with start-up Better Place to put battery-powered autos on the road in 2012.
European Support of Bicycles Promotes Sharing of the Wheels
In increasingly green-conscious Europe, there are said to be only two kinds of mayors: those who have a bicycle-sharing program and those who want one.
Urban Policy and the Obama Presidency
"What impact will an Obama presidency have on urban policy?"
Light Rail Brings Housing Values Up in Denver
While home values in the rest of the region decline, homes near Denver's light rail system have experienced an increase in values over the past two years.
Who says Americans won't ride mass transit?
With gas prices through the roof, our car-crazy nation showed the love for buses and trains.
State presents bold plan to clean up air
The California Air Resources Board released its latest plan to meet AB32 greenhouse gas reduction targets...
Berkeley Approves City-Backed Loans for Solar Panels
The Berkeley City Council moved late Tuesday to eliminate one of the biggest obstacles to making homes more energy-efficient: the upfront cost.
More Bikes = More Safety
A new study confirms that the more bicyclists on the road, the less likely it is that cyclists will get hit by a vehicle.
California Moves on Bill to Curb Sprawl and Emissions
CA is close to adopting a law to slow the increase in emissions of GHGs by encouraging housing close to job sites, rail lines and bus stops...
D.C. Bike-Sharing Kicks Into High Gear
SmartBike DC will rent 120 bikes at 10 self-service racks mostly in the downtown area.
Pound the Pavement
Google Maps now providing walking directions.
Foes Back Anti-Sprawl Measure
Environmentalists, builders and local governments agree on legislation that would pull state money from projects that contribute to sprawl.
"Major Discovery" from MIT Primed to Unleash Solar Revolution
MIT scientists discover how to store solar energy
Reinventing Streets as Places
If you plan for cars and traffic, you get cars and traffic. If you plan for people and places, you get people and places.
Romancing the Highways
A Half-Century History of U.S. Transit Funding.
10 Steps to a Renewable Energy Future
A vision and a plan to generate electricity entirely through renewable sources by 2018.
San Francisco Most Walkable U.S. City
San Francisco rates higher than New York and Boston for walkability - larger Bay Area doesn't score as well.
Bold Moves, Brave Actions
Great cities don't just happen - bold efforts in Indianapolis, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Bogota and Zurich profiled.
Cleveland's National Example for BRT
Cleveland’s Health Line is setting a national example for Bus Rapid Transit.
Paris Considers Ditching Building Height Limits
Paris Mayor proposes abandoning the city's long-held building height limit, citing the city's need to grow.
Triumph of the Low-Carbon City Dweller
Take a look at the Housing & Transportation Affordability Index for the U.S. - if you want to go low-carbon, the city is where it's at.
How Global Warming Challenges the Old Bay Area Assumptions
The Bay Area's environmental agenda is being redefined by the very real threat of climate change.
Sunday Parkways: Portland's First Ciclovia-Style Street Closure
Six miles, six hours, zero traffic...
Air Resources Board: Discouraging Driving Crucial in Warming Battle
The California Air Resources Board unveiled their plan to fight global warming and it encourages local governments to create land-use and transportation plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Next Slum?
A structural change is under way in the housing market - its ultimate impact on the suburbs, and the cities, will be profound.
Where to Live in an America with $4 Gas
Ranking highest are cities with strong public transit system ridership and well-organized and dense city centers.
Schools Cool the Earth, Cancel a Car
Begun by a mom in California just a few short years ago, Cool the Earth is encouraging school kids to go home and take action to “Cancel a Car”.
Montreal Canada Launches Public Bike System
Montreal's new public bike sharing system relies on a new bike design, solar powered stations, wireless inventory management, and software to manage it all.
Electric Car Sharing Service Announced in Paris
Paris' new car-sharing program will consist of some 4,000 cars which program users can pick up from and return to any one of 700 locations throughout the city.
Mixed Use Isn't Enough: "Omni Use" Cores Enliven the Metropolis
It is no longer good enough to plop housing on top of a retail strip, call it "mixed-use," and expect to intelligently improve the urban setting...
EcoDensity Approved in Vancouver
After two years of intensive dialogue and debate, education and idea-development, Vancouver's concept of EcoDensity has been translated into Council-approved policy and actions.
World Carbon Dioxide Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
The rise in the chief greenhouse gas is worse than feared.
AC Transit schedules now available in Google Maps
How would I get from San Francisco to Berkeley after BART closes...
Gas Prices Send Surge of Riders to Mass Transit
With the price of gas approaching $4 a gallon, more commuters are abandoning their cars and taking the train or bus instead.
Ghost Towns In Sprawl Land
The truest true fact of American politics is that no candidate running this year is going to upset or even challenge the suburban sprawl industry.
Climate change may alter bay growth patterns
The worldwide issue of climate change has a local twist: It's altering the Bay Area's long-running debate over how and where to grow.
Death, taxes and traffic
Where does the future of L.A. transportation lie -- light rail, subway, more freeways, smart growth, toll roads or something else?
Urban planning needs green rethink
The focus on greening homes and offices is ignoring the wider landscape of our towns and cities...
Highlights from the 7th EcoCity World Summit
The EcoCity World Summit wrapped up on Saturday afternoon in San Francisco...
Making Sacramento Truly Sustainable
OK, so everybody’s bought into the idea that Sacramento’s Blueprint process is a national model of regional smart growth planning. But what happens
next in this cooler-than-we-ever-imagined metropolis? Depending on who
you talk to the answer is: