I have a tremendous amount of respect for Chapman University professor and urban geographer Joel Kotkin here. But I tend to engage in a little philosophical tug of war with him over a few of his finer points. For example, Mr. Kotkin is entirely correct when he says that the vast majority of people in … Continue reading Compromised
There’s an established image in the collective imagination of the kinds of places artsy types tend to live: the painter in a Paris garret, the actor in a Brooklyn brownstone, the musician in a San Francisco Victorian, or the playwright in a fisherman’s shack on Cape Cod. It’s all very romantic. We currently associate these … Continue reading The New Bohemia: Not Where You Expect
I just spent a long weekend exploring Seattle, Washington where I interviewed people about why they live where they do. It’s one thing to ask a city planner, economic development official, or transportation engineer about what people want in theory, but I prefer to ask ordinary people directly about the choices they’ve actually made. … Continue reading Seattle: Trade Offs, Upsides, Downsides, and Work Arounds
One of the common criticisms leveled at people who promote urban living goes something like this. “Cities are great for college kids, people starting off in their careers, bohemians, and maybe some older empty nesters with money who have a taste for theater and art. But most people have families and tight budgets. Suburbia is … Continue reading Family Friendly Cities
Katie and Dave were new to the neighborhood and wanted to organize a fast, inexpensive, and effective event where they could get to know as many people on their block as possible. They used their home computer to print out flyers announcing a Sunday afternoon pot luck and knocked on all the doors within a … Continue reading Pop Up Pot Luck: Community Building on the Cheap
I recently interviewed Alex Melamed and Andrew Kline of Green Generation Building in Yellow Springs, Ohio Here for an upcoming video story. They design and build highly insulated homes that meet the Passive House standard. A Passive House uses innovative construction techniques to keep itself warm in winter and cool in summer with almost no fuel. The initial cost … Continue reading The Passive House Movement: Super Insulation and Radically lower Energy Bills
Whether it’s an industrial accident that releases toxic chemicals into the water supply as happened in West Virginia in recent memory, or a Katrina or Hurricane Sandy type event, or the jolt of an earthquake in California, people very often find themselves without electricity, running water, natural gas, and many other supplies and services for a … Continue reading Emergency Preparation – Wherever You Live
Granola Shotgun 