I buy many cups of coffee and habitually cringe when reaching for a plastic lid. It’s pretty hypocritical to make a point of avoiding Styrofoam, only to slap a petroleum disc on a paper cup. (And yes, I know that carrying a travel mug would obviate the issue.) Fortunately for me (and my eco karma), a designer named Peter Herman has come up with a greener, all-paper disposable cup that folds closed like a takeout container to form a sipping spout.
(via dreamhampton1)
Photo:Olugbenro Ogunsemore via Esquire
A great piece on NYC DOTs, Janette Sadik-Khan in Esquire at the moment as part of The Brightest: 16 Geniuses Who Give Us Hope …
Whereas most city officials and past DOT commissioners would have insisted on capital funds for something like,…
Buying well-designed American-made goods is a conscious act, akin to buying food at a farmers’ market. Is it sometimes more expensive? Yes, but there’s value in not only knowing the origin of what you purchase but also in creating a connection with the maker of your goods. With that in mind, Fast Company found the 76 best products designed and made domestically—everything from surfboards to coffee filters to handbags stitched from cast-off clothes—and dug deep into their creation for our free iPad app.
(via fastcompany)
—
- Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities.
I came across this article defending the legacy of Jane Jacobs, which apparently is a hot-button issue for planners at the moment. It’s a rather interesting take on how some misconstrue her arguments and provoke that she was an objector to change, despised density, and was a NIMBYist. The author of this article, however, argues that if anything, Jane Jacobs was all about public participation in change processes in order to garner untapped wisdom from the citizens which can then improve the planning process and quell the NIMBY attitudes of some.
OBVS! Any nerdy, idealist Planner (who supported this sassy American-Canadian, Toronto based guru) would know that!
In the article, Roberta Brandes Gratz points out that the “developer-promulgated projects” - big projects that replace or transform neighbourhoods, are what Jacobs criticized as ‘cataclysmic’ change and rightfully opposed.
(via salakahle)
The Recession’s Effects on Migration Patterns Within the U.S.
Using data from the 2005-2009 census, Frey notes that before the recession Sunbelt metro areas such as Phoenix and Las Vegas were popular targets; housing was cheap, credit easy, and local economies had ample employment opportunities in real estate and service industries. After the recession, with tighter budgets and fewer job options, young adults are trending towards larger cities and tech centers — places with larger labor markets and more affordable housing. Read more.
“I was born into the 1%. My family has accumulated wealth because of tax policy and because my parents make a lot of money as lawyers. I have no loans and my family gives me health care. Because of wealth and so much other privilege, I can feel safe making decisions about my future. I join the fight for wealth redistribution and for a more equitable society where safety isn’t a privilege. I stand with the 99%.”
People with silver spoons ought to be using them to feed the world.
(via alarmswillring)
seasquared:robot-heart-politics:
Sounds like someone works for Alan Greenspan.
“In the United States, we are in the process of seeing the baby boomers — the most productive, highly skilled, educated part of our labor force — retire. They are being replaced by groups of young…
twenty&one
UF Alumni
Rollins Master of Planning in Civic Urbanism student
I have no idea when I became this lucky! So let me give you some background. Last Wednesday I...
We finished our art project! (Taken with instagram)
