Water Use @ Home

LA Weekly - Black Lung Lofts

The LA Weekly just wrote a feature on housing developments within 500 feet of freeways and the health risks associated with those houses.

Read it HERE.

Vote for @cicLAvia

cicLAvia is a pilot project which would convert 7 miles of streets to park space on Sunday mornings in LA. You can vote for them everyday until March 31. (http://www.refresheverything.com/ciclavia). Their deliverables include the following list, and make sure to follow them on twitter.

• 7.5 miles of Car-Free Los Angeles city streets on 3 Sundays during the Summer of 2010
• Ten national press mentions (already mentioned in LA Times and many other news sources including local ABC news)
• $50,000 in grants
• $50,000 in corporate sponsorship and donations

Old modes of public transportation made New: Cable Car

Maybe it's because I'm from San Francisco and have a nostalgic and generous view of the cable car, or maybe it's because I now live in Los Angeles, which is slowly attempting to expand lines of public transportation, but this article in NewGeography has convinced me that maybe there is something to it.

Reminder. SUN networking event tonight

Our Sustainable Urban Network (SUN) student group is hosting a networking event tonight:

When: Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010; 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Where: UCLA Public Affairs Bldg. 5th Floor Faculty Lounge. Snacks will be provided!

How does sustainability influence the work of professional planners?
Are there emerging trends in the field related to sustainability?

Please join us for SUN's first networking event of 2010 featuring a panel of planning professionals. They will discuss their work experiences and recent projects that relate to sustainability.

Panelists:
Steve Crosley, Senior Transportation Planner, Fehr & Peers, Transportation Consultants, Santa Monica.

Juan Matute, Director, Program on Local Government Climate Action Policies, Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies (UCLA School of Public Affairs)

Georgia Sheridan, Urban Designer/Planner, Torti Gallas and Partners, Sheridan/Hawkes Collaborative

Join in the discussion! You are invited to ask questions and participate to help create an
interactive event!

Does energy efficiency lead to more consumption?

An article from time.com (click here) suggests that as energy efficient appliances are installed in homes, people use them more. They may leave the lights on, raise the temp on their thermostat, or run the dishwasher more often. All in all, these behaviors could reduce energy savings by as much as 10%.

Live Blog: Social Sciences Council Meeting

There are three meetings of the Social Sciences Council per quarter, and today wraps up the the last of Winter Quarter.  SSC represents the 16 Social Sciences Departments (including all 3 departments in the School of Public Affairs).  After the link you'll find all pertinent information covered at the meeting.





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March 4: UC Day of Action

On March 4, the UC Day of Action will organize students throughout the UC system against the fee hikes.  More information is available at the March 4 Strike Blog.  Here is the schedule for the Day of Action:

• 11:30am-Noon Campus-wide: Any students still stuck in class are encouraged to WALKOUT! 
• Noon-1pm  ALL OUT TO BRUIN PLAZA!  Rally followed by March around UCLA campus; Speakers, media coverage, chanting, opportunities for circulating petitions, etc.
• 1-3pm Bruin Plaza and Campus Wide Revolution Dance Party- DJ, musical acts, hip-hop artists, student-led teach-ins, etc.
• 3-4pm Bruin Plaza:  Teach-in with various faculty members.
• 4:30-5:30pm Bruin Plaza:  Rally; Speakers, media coverage, chanting, petitioning, etc.  UTLA, CFT, CTA, LAUSD, Community Colleges, and California State Universities join.

Last week, the Social Sciences Council (which includes your Urban Planning Reps) passed a resolution in support of the Day of Action, which you can read after the break...





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U2 Guitarist’s Plans Don’t Find Green Harmony

What do you guys think?

NEW Times Square

Peds: 1, Cars: 0

This clip just makes me happy :)