The Power of Green Energy in a Rural Renaissance
The Planning Lady
by Stephanie Rouse
2d ago
The March 12th episode of Booked on Planning featured author Michelle Moore, an advocate for sustainable energy solutions in rural America who recently published Rural Renaissance. Moore shared her wealth of knowledge on the subject, emphasizing the vital role that rural cooperatives and public power companies play in rejuvenating America's heartland. With a focus on energy efficiency, equitable access to clean energy, and the preservation of community values, the discussion offered a compelling blueprint for economic and environmental revival in small towns across the nation. Moore begins her ..read more
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William Whyte, the American Urbanist
The Planning Lady
by Stephanie Rouse
1w ago
It is nearly impossible to make it out of a planning program without learning about William Hollingsworth Whyte and his influence on urban design. He studied the intricate weave of social interactions in public spaces which formed the core of a fascinating discussion with author Richard Rein in the latest Booked on Planning podcast episode. Rein, drawing from his book The American Urbanist: How William Whyte's Unconventional Wisdom Reshaped Public Life, shed light on Whyte’s profound impact on how we view and interact with our urban environments. From the outset, it's clear that Whyte was no o ..read more
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Do the Con's of Renewable Energy Outweigh Fossil Fuel Use?
The Planning Lady
by Stephanie Rouse
3M ago
I saw a post on social media recently that showed the massive battery system required to power a Tesla and listed out all the environment downsides that go into the extraction. The article estimated that it takes 7 years of driving the electric vehicle before it starts to pay off the environmental harms caused by creating the battery. It also said that the battery life is about 10 years, giving it 3 years of environmental gains, something fossil fuel will never have. The post wasn’t necessarily wrong, there are downsides to electric vehicles (EV), including the fact that our grid system is not ..read more
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Sustainable Design: Better for People and the Planet
The Planning Lady
by Stephanie Rouse
3M ago
The world of design and architecture holds untapped potential for promoting sustainability, a topic we dove into with author Corey Squire, of "People, Planet, Design: A Practical Guide to Realizing Architecture's Potential," in our latest Booked on Planning episode. In the episode coming out in a few weeks, we discussed how design choices significantly impact our everyday lives and how these choices can be used to create more sustainable, equitable buildings. Corey highlighted the importance of considering factors such as indoor air quality and energy sources in buildings. In essence, design e ..read more
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Urban Ecosystems: the unseen wildlife in cities
The Planning Lady
by Stephanie Rouse
4M ago
Our urban spaces are teeming with life, though we often overlook it. This life isn't merely human but encompasses an array of flora and fauna, insects and animals, all contributing to a vibrant and complex urban ecosystem. In one of my favorite podcast episodes this year, my co-host Jennifer and I talked with author Peter Alagona on his recent book "Accidental Ecosystems” on these often-overlooked ecosystems and understand their importance. Central to the episode is the exploration of urban parks. Originally crafted as pastoral settings, urban parks have metamorphosed into forest-like spaces ..read more
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Valuing the Preservationist
The Planning Lady
by Stephanie Rouse
4M ago
Volunteers participating in a heart bombing to raise awareness for historic buildings The foundations of historic preservation are rooted in volunteerism and community activism. The formal profession evolved centuries after the first attempt to save a home, that to the women with extra time to spare felt was a key symbol of our young nation. After those beginnings we moved into a period of organized activism on the part of high society members who had the time and money to pick and choose what was important to save in each community. These small circles of the most elite resulted in great pro ..read more
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When Preservation Is Worth It
The Planning Lady
by Stephanie Rouse
4M ago
In my many years working in the field of historic preservation I have seen some communities commit to preserving as much of their built history as possible, others demolish nearly all of it, and a majority that falls somewhere in between. What I could never understand is how different cities decide when preservation is worth it. The most common argument for demolishing an old building and starting fresh is the costs to rehab the building are just not worth the investment. But I’ve seen some really amazing projects that save some real questionable buildings and turn them into really productive ..read more
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The Hawley Hamlets Eco Village
The Planning Lady
by Stephanie Rouse
5M ago
Building a community around an urban food forests may seem like a European idea, but it is gaining interest here in the U.S. as well. With climate change becoming an imminent concern, some community members are investing in their own communities food security. One example is in the heart of one of the more dense neighborhoods in the breadbasket of America—the Hawley Hamlet. Tim and Kay’s home at the corner surrounded by an edible landscape with solar and geothermal power. Video on the Hawley Hamlet. Tim Rinne and Kay Walter began gardening 15 years ago on their modest urban corner lot just a ..read more
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Designing With Local Context
The Planning Lady
by Stephanie Rouse
5M ago
Yasmeen Lari as she presented during the APTI conference College of Fellows keynote A few weeks ago I attended my first Association of Preservation Technology conference, held in Seattle. One of the keynote speakers at the conference was Yasmeen Lari, winner of the RIBA 2023 Royal Gold Medal. Yasmeen is Pakistan’s first female architect and has done amazing work to bring affordable home building to her home country. Seeing first hand the issues of global warming on the environment and increasing displacement of people from their homes, she set up the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan along with ..read more
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My Transportation Story
The Planning Lady
by Stephanie Rouse
9M ago
For an upcoming interview on the Booked on Planning podcast I read Veronica O. Davis’s book Inclusive Transportation which is a quick and impactful read for anyone working in the transportation industry, or just engaging with the public. The reason I found it impactful is she asks her readers to stop and reflect several times throughout the book. One of those pauses for reflection was to consider our personal transportation story and how it has shaped who we are today. When I was three years old we moved to a new subdivision on the edge of town. The main road behind our house was a two lane ru ..read more
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