💡 Fresh stories: Rethinking Trees & 12 more
May 4, 2023 Edition
Curated by Konveio
In this week’s newsletter, you’ll uncover new insights on how we can lower the cost of housing, help reconnect wildlife habitats, and learn how protected lands actually benefit our economic stability.
Don’t hesitate to reach out with recommendations, we’re always looking for your input!
Lauren Sibley
EngagingCities Editor
Featured Story
Rethinking Trees
Trees are incredibly important for this planet, but how much do we really think about them? The United States loses millions of trees a year to a variety of sources, but climate change is one of the biggest. Selecting trees that have high drought tolerance and grow well in particular climates, can help to mitigate the loss. We can’t afford to lose trees, we need them, so we need to be mindful of how and where they are planted. — Shared by Trevor Macenski
Amplifying Progress
EngagingCities shares stories by our network of community builders that collaboratively plan for a brighter, cleaner, and more equitable tomorrow.
Featured stories from the last two weeks:
🔥 Hot Takes
🎤 Building Unaffordable Luxury Apartments
Why do we keep building luxury apartments, when practically no one can afford them? All around the United States cities are approving apartment complexes, condominiums, and any multifamily housing that will increase the living space. Cities are desperate to fill the need in this housing shortage. But really what we are seeing is a shortage of affordable housing. Many new apartments that come on the market are unaffordable to the general population. It’s time to make a change, we don’t need luxury units, we need affordable, livable units!
— Shared by Eric Tang
🎤 Use Nature as Infrastructure - Maintaining and restoring natural infrastructure to support healthy functions can save money, time and lives.
— Shared by Donna DeFrancesco
🎤 Saving America's Public Transit from Doom - The most realistic way for transit to garner public support is to prove it can replace car trips.
— Shared by Steven Schukraft
🎤 Benefits of Community Gardens - Reducing urban blight and improving residents' access to fresh produce.
— Shared by Eric Marshall
📝 Insights
💡Improving Wildlife Habitat Connectivity
The United States is known for being road builders. Since cars are our primary mode of transportation, roads are a necessity. But until relatively recently the damage that roads do to the ecology hasn't been recognized. For animals roads become a barrier, cutting off their migration patterns and habitats. Being creative and innovative with how we repair these broken patterns is imperative. We can still maintain the convenience of roads, while also providing safe passage for the animals that share this world.
— Shared by Ken Homer
💡 Wonders of the Night - Did you know that light pollution affects fireflies?
— Shared by Kelly Davenport
💡 Urban Growth and Expansion - Looking at Indiana, Pennsylvania's urban growth over 42 years.
— Shared by Zachariah Hollingshad
💡 NYC and the 15 Minute Concept - I wish more people could experience the accessibility of a 15 minute city.
— Shared by Jerome Horne
🥳 Success Stories
✅ Congaree Land Trust
When we advocate for protecting our natural lands this doesn’t mean that we keep people from using the space. Protected lands provide bio diversity, safeguards drinking water, and supports economic vitality. The more that we grow and expand our built environment the more important it is that we have protected lands that can support these communities and sustain them.
— Shared by Daniel Rickenmann
✅ Reintroduction of the Wildlife Conservation Bill - Bipartisan bill to invest in state, and Tribal conservation.
— Shared by Jennifer Morris
✅ Urban Revitalization - Expanding affordable housing on Buffalo, New York's East Side.
— Shared by Tasha S. Barnes
✅ Keep Dallas Booming - Dallas, Texas races to convert unused office space into housing.
— Shared by Aaron Florez
🗓 Upcoming Events Mark your calendars
Webinar: 5/11 Improving inclusion for older adults and natural hazards Shared by Austin Snowbarger
Do you have interesting resources, events, etc. to share?
Send us your tips to hello@engagingcities.com
