Disguising small wind turbines
The visual impact of small wind turbines in an urban area can be a source of concerns. It's up to developers to find smart ideas and designs to integrate them into communities – and to convince locals...
View ArticleWater efficiency in rural areas is getting worse, even as it improves in...
A nationwide analysis of water use over the past 30 years finds that there is a disconnect between rural and urban areas, with most urban areas becoming more water efficient and most rural areas...
View ArticleNo green light for latest traffic light app following expert evaluation
FROM sat-nav to automated parking and collision avoidance systems - cars are equipped with an increasing array of electronic aids designed to reduce the scope for human error. One of the latest pieces...
View ArticleFlorida sets the standard for water efficiency in the south
Florida leads the south in water efficiency, according to a study examining water use across the United States.
View ArticleNew flood study reveals America's most vulnerable communities
Floods are the natural disaster that kill the most people. They are also the most common natural disaster. As the threat of flooding increases worldwide, a group of scientists at LSU have gathered...
View ArticleAs metro areas grow, whites move farther from the city center
In the middle of the 20th century, cities began to change. The popularity of the automobile and the construction of interstate highways fueled the growth of suburbs, while discriminatory housing...
View ArticleRural structures pose greater relative threat to birds than urban ones
About one billion birds are killed every year when they unwittingly fly into human-made objects such as buildings with reflective windows. Such collisions are the largest unintended human cause of bird...
View ArticleWhy apartment dwellers need indoor plants
The number of Australians living in high-rise apartments doubled between 1991 and 2011 and that trend has continued since then. The quarter-acre dream is fast disappearing and larger blocks and family...
View ArticleWant to fix America's infrastructure? Build in the places that need help the...
Political debates over U.S. infrastructure spending are painfully incomplete. The discussion focuses almost exclusively on how much money should be spent, ignoring important questions about what...
View ArticleMosses used to evaluate atmospheric conditions in urban areas
Researchers have developed a method to evaluate atmospheric conditions using mosses (bryophytes) in urban areas, a development that could facilitate broader evaluations of atmospheric environments.
View ArticleUrban butterflies under threat of extinction
According to an EPFL study, butterflies living in urban areas face the threat of consanguinity and potential extinction. The research drew on the fields of genetics and urban development to quantify...
View ArticleGrowing more plants and trees can cut down the heat in Nigerian cities
Nigeria is regarded as a hot country. Average maximum temperature can reach 38℃ - one of the hottest in sub Saharan Africa. In the last few years extreme heat and intense heatwaves have become a common...
View ArticleClimate change, infrastructure and the economic impacts of Hurricane Harvey
Houston, the fourth largest city in the nation with an economy the size of Sweden, and many other cities and towns in southeastern Texas have been devastated by the torrential rains and flooding caused...
View ArticleHeat stress escalates in cities under global warming
Heatwaves are intensifying in cities due to the double whammy of the urban heat island effect and global warming, according to a new study.
View ArticleSafety, not food, entices geese to cities
Canada Geese have shifted their winter range northward in recent years by taking advantage of conditions in urban areas—but what specific features of cities make this possible? A new study from The...
View ArticleBirds gone wild: Resurgent turkeys spar with human neighbors
Not everyone is celebrating the return of the wild turkeys.
View ArticleCool roofs have water saving benefits too
The energy and climate benefits of cool roofs have been well established: By reflecting rather than absorbing the sun's energy, light-colored roofs keep buildings, cities, and even the entire planet...
View ArticleUrban heat and cool island effects controlled by agriculture and irrigation
As Earth's climate continues to warm, the urban heat island effect raises concerns that city-dwellers will suffer more heat stress than their rural counterparts. However, new research suggests that...
View ArticleSocial repercussions on places declared World Heritage Sites
A researcher from the Economic and Business Sciences Faculty of the University of Seville, together with a group of teachers from Malaysia, has published a study of the factors that influence the...
View ArticleNew land cover atlas reveals just 6 percent of UK is developed
The UK is a green and pleasant land with more than half the country classed as pasture or arable land, according to a new set of maps created by an academic at the University of Sheffield.
View ArticleUrban trees are growing faster worldwide
Trees in metropolitan areas have been growing faster than trees in rural areas worldwide since the 1960s. This has been confirmed for the first time by a study on the impact of the urban heat island...
View ArticleUrban Cooper's hawks outcompete their rural neighbors
Depending on whether a species flourishes in a city environment, urban wildlife populations can be "sources" or "sinks," either reproducing so quickly that individuals leave to colonize the surrounding...
View ArticleScientists discover unexpected side effect to cleaning up urban air
An imbalance between the trends in two common air pollutants is unexpectedly triggering the creation of a class of airborne organic compounds not usually found in the atmosphere over urban areas of...
View ArticleFood sharing as a means to reduce waste and boost urban sustainability
From community gardens to restaurants and cafes using out-of-date food to create meals that are charged on a voluntary basis, food-sharing initiatives are gaining momentum. But little is known about...
View ArticleResearch outlines the interconnected benefits of urban agriculture
From a vacant plot in a blighted neighborhood springs neatly combed rows of plants put in by the neighbors. They meticulously care for this small piece of land and among the drab looking buildings...
View ArticleMaintaining tiger connectivity and minimising extinction into the next century
Tigers have lost 95% of their historical range, and what remains is highly fragmented. According to this study, high traffic roads and densely populated urban areas are a severe impediment to tiger...
View ArticleNew, forward-looking report outlines research path to sustainable cities
In 1950, fewer than one-third of the world's people lived in cities. Today more than half do. By 2050, urban areas will be home to some two-thirds of Earth's human population.
View ArticleMaps reveal the truth about population density across Europe
It's often said that England is the most densely populated large country in Europe – typically in discussions about the nation's rising population, and the growing strain on public services. But it's...
View ArticleCoyotes and red foxes may coexist within urban landscapes
Coyotes and red foxes may select different types of habitats for their home ranges, helping them to coexist in urban environments, according to a study published January 24, 2018 in the open-access...
View ArticleConforming to standards could improve Sri Lankan urban quality of life
Standards such as well-managed parking, clean drinking water, affordable housing, proper street lighting, green environment, robust information technology connectivity and many are important for cities...
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