News & Commentary

How to Stop a Highway

November 19, 2021 DispatchHouston, Texas, United StatesTim Vanderpool

Houston activists fuel a growing movement to increasingly center environmental justice in infrastructure and protect urban neighborhoods from endlessly expanding road projects.

Through a Solar Transformation, a Former Landfill Is Poised to Become a Community Lifeline

September 28, 2021 DispatchHoustonMaudlyne Ihejirika

In Sunnyside, Houston—a neighborhood that recently registered the city’s highest unemployment rate—residents are preparing for an influx of jobs to come from the Sunnyside Energy Community Solar project.

Free Bus Service Is the Hot New Thing in Transit

March 3, 2020 DispatchOlympia, WashingtonStarre Vartan

Olympia, Washington, is the latest city to roll out a fare-free bus system, with traffic congestion, equity, and the climate in mind.

Denver Wants to Zoom Past Its Car-Centric Street Design

February 6, 2020 DispatchDenverLucas High

City officials see dedicated bus corridors, scooter-share programs, and protected bike lanes as key to greening their transportation network.

San Antonio Finds the Key to Flood Control in Its Gardens

December 23, 2019 DispatchSan Antonio, TexasAnne N. Connor

As climate change brings heavier rains, local officials and developers are managing the deluge of stormwater runoff with some low-tech—and pretty—solutions.

Missoula, Montana, Proves That Tackling Car Culture Isn’t Just for Big-City Slickers

November 5, 2019 DispatchMontanaAlisa Opar

The streets are hardly choked with traffic, but this Northern Rockies locale sees plenty of other good reasons to get more of its commuters out from behind the wheel.

San Jose Ups Its Biking Game

September 30, 2019 DispatchSan Jose (California)Corey Binns

In this sprawling Bay Area city, more than half the carbon footprint comes from cars and trucks. So the city is focusing on growing its network of safe bike paths—and fast.

In Los Angeles, Renters Want Their Own Green New Deal

August 8, 2019 DispatchLos AngelesKaren L. Smith-Janssen

Residents of the city’s affordable housing units don’t normally get prioritized for energy efficiency upgrades. That’s about to change.

How Austin Plans to Grow—Without Adding More Cars to Its Roads

July 17, 2019 DispatchAustin, TexasMike Clark-Madison

By tackling transit, ride sharing, and more, the Texas capital hopes to embrace its big-city identity.

To Become a Less Car-Centric City, San Diego Takes Aim at Parking Lot Quotas

June 5, 2019 DispatchSan DiegoBecca Cudmore

In addition to cutting carbon pollution, Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s climate initiatives could give a boost to public transit and affordable housing options.

Portland Makes Strides to Cut Emissions and Move Beyond Four Wheels

March 4, 2019 DispatchPortland (Oregon)Becca Cudmore

The Rose City, a winner of the American Cities Climate Challenge, will reduce emissions as it revamps its transportation system—part of a new strategic plan called Central City in Motion.

Climate Change Is Worsening Houston’s Housing Crisis

August 8, 2018 DispatchHouston, TexasTim Vanderpool

Since Hurricane Harvey, homelessness has gone up, some public housing residents are living in severely damaged homes, and others have been cast out to remote suburbs—to the detriment of local well-being and the economy.

Will California Say Bye-Bye to the Plastic Bag for Good This Time?

September 23, 2016 DispatchCaliforniaBecca Cudmore

Two ballot initiatives involving the bag ban are on the ballot this November—but one of them is not what it seems.

Greening Houston

October 17, 2014 DispatchHouston, Texas

The U.S. capital of the oil industry could teach other cities a thing or two about fighting climate change—in a politically inhospitable climate.