Category Archives: Environment
Improving the “People Habitat” is the Key to Protecting Wildlife Habitat
by Dom Nozzi Late in 2011, Ethan Kent described how “placemaking” (the art of making wonderful, lovable places for people) was the “new environmentalism.” His article can be found here: http://www.pps.org/articles/placemaking-as-a-new-environmentalism/ The thesis of this article is what has kept … Continue reading
Filed under Environment, Sprawl, Suburbia
Happy People or Happy Cars?
By Dom Nozzi Roads have a profound influence over the quality of life of our neighborhoods and our overall community. The design of roads has a significant influence over how much speeding traffic is found on the road. How many … Continue reading
Filed under Bicycling, Diet, Economics, Environment, Politics, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking
Does Traffic Congestion Increase Fuel Consumption and Air Emissions?
By Dom Nozzi Advocates for better transportation and better quality of life often make an important tactical mistake. And the promoters of car dependency, road widening, and suburban sprawl have achieved an enormous victory. Why? Because nearly all environmentalists and … Continue reading
Filed under Bicycling, Diet, Economics, Environment, Politics, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking
The Suburban War on Walkability
By Dom Nozzi New urbanists point out that there are several different “lifestyle” choices that members of a community seek out, and that these choices generally correspond to various geographic locations within the community. What one finds in a community, … Continue reading
Filed under Bicycling, Diet, Economics, Environment, Politics, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking
Why Many Environmentalists Counterproductively Support Excessive Parking for Cars
By Dom Nozzi, AICP Why do so many environmentalists and many other well-educated people (who should know better) so often express strong support for local laws which require new developments to provide excessive, ever-higher amounts of parking for cars? Isn’t … Continue reading
How Can Quality-of-Life and Sustainability Advocates Galvanize Support for Their Cause?
By Dom Nozzi Advocates for quality of life and sustainability — with regard to how we design our communities and our transportation system – often scratch their heads over the lack of enthusiasm from citizens to protest serious harms being … Continue reading
Filed under Environment, Politics, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking
Leave Your Car at Home Day
By Dom Nozzi, AICP Many cities admirably seek to promote a reduction in car use. Often, this entails a voluntary program such as “Bike to Work” Day or “Leave Your Car at Home” Day or “Car Free [name of city]” … Continue reading
Filed under Bicycling, Diet, Economics, Environment, Politics, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking
Does Energy Efficiency INCREASE Energy Consumption?
By Dom Nozzi, AICP David Owen, in the December 20, 2010 issue of The New Yorker, wrote a superb, highly counterintuitive article regarding the “efficiency” paradox. His thesis: Making cars and appliances more energy efficient results in an overall increase … Continue reading
Filed under Economics, Energy, Environment, Politics
Where Are We on Neighborhood Noise Pollution?
By Dom Nozzi, AICP As a city planner and as a homeowner, I’ve come to understand how critically important—yet hidden as a “dirty little secret”—noise pollution control has become for protecting and promoting the quality of life of a neighborhood. … Continue reading
Filed under Environment, Politics, Urban Design, Transportation
Categories of “Environmentalists”
By Dom Nozzi This blog is mostly inspired by the Hogtown Creek Greenway Wars I was a part of in Gainesville FL in the 1990s. Lots of folks bitterly opposed that bike/pedestrian trail. Most of these people called themselves “environmentalists.” … Continue reading
Filed under Environment, Politics
