Resources
A broad category of content focused on resources in cities.
Examples: energy, water, food systems, resource management
Paris Climate Agreement Will be Ratified
The European Parliament approved ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement, taking us well past the threshold of nations and collective emissions needed. The agreement is not legally binding for 30 days. We are on a path to breathing cleaner air; our children are...
Renewable Retail
When you shop for food, clothes and everything else, you will be glad to discover that some of your retailers power with renewable energy. Big box retailers have taken the lead by being more energy efficient, using daylighting instead of constant lights, and by...
New York, Hawaii, California Race to 50 Percent Renewables
California and New York will meet 50 percent of their electricity demand with renewables by 2030. It is the law. Hawaii will exceed 50 percent by 2030 as it pursues its 2045 legal requirement of 100 percent. In all three states, it took a disaster to rethink their...
Call for Energy Innovators Provides Exclusive Opportunity for Startups
With the recent signing of SB 32 by the California Governor Jerry Brown, the State will be maintaining its aggressive emission reduction goals and taking it even further to achieve an additional 40 percent cut in emissions by 2030. This further strengthened effort to...
Fostering a 21st Century Water System
The state’s water supply and our current drought are the most important environmental issues to a majority of Californians according to a new PPIC study. In order to address this critical issue, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group explored whether the innovative...
Creating a Smart, Resilient Water Future
Today, cities are confronted with a unique challenge: they face budget constraints and aging infrastructure, yet increasing customer expectations. In addition, cities must often deal with the impacts of urbanization, climate change, and an aging workforce. To meet...
Coal-Free and Nuke-Free California
California will soon be coal-free and its last nuclear plant will be replaced with renewables. It is true that grid imported coal and nuclear power make up a small and declining part of total system power, but the percentage keeps falling with improved demand...
Energy Productivity Will Be a Lynchpin of Achieving a 2-Degree Carbon Future
The narrative on energy is one of possibility and progress. Recent events on the international climate calendar, from the seventh annual Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM7) to EE Global have brought energy productivity issues to the forefront of low carbon solutions...
The Impacts of Running our Fleet Vehicles on Propane
In my last article, I focused on the seemingly overlooked benefits of using propane as fuel for our vehicles. The merits of propane have been recognized by city governments, propane alliances, and the Department of Energy through its Clean Cities program. And with the...
Down to the Roots: How Cities Are Building Local & Sustainable Food Systems
Last month, this post looked into urban food systems through the lens of urban food deserts. Food deserts point to a bigger systemic problem of the sustainability of our food systems in the face of a globalized, polarized, and increasingly resource-scarce economy and...
Hungry for the Holidays: A Look at Urban Food Insecurity
During these holiday months, most of us are gathering with family and friends, feeling grateful for what we have (and/or letting our families drive us crazy), and eating a bounty of our favorite foods of the season between Thanksgiving, Friendsgivings, work parties,...