When Superstorm Sandy came ashore in 2012, thousands of New Yorkers were plunged into what seemed like an earlier century. No lights. No heat. No refrigeration. No elevators. On the upper floors of high-rise apartment buildings, the taps went dry and...
Island Press Field Notes
Climate change is here, and it is already affecting our health and wellbeing.
Climate change is hurting our health — right here and right now. As practicing physicians, we see the impacts on our patients.
In an era rocked by climate change and other disruptions, our cities must be resilient to survive and thrive. But what does that mean, exactly? How can we address the problems facing cities today—poverty, job loss, crumbling infrastructure, pollution—...
Beverly Corbin is disabled; she navigates the courtyard at Wyckoff Gardens—the South Brooklyn public housing complex where she lives—on a scooter.
In May, many of us will celebrate National Bike Month by leaving the car at home and cycling to work. It's often the fastest way across town, and it's a great way to get some...
High-density public housing may seem like an idea whose time has come and gone, buried along with the ruins of notorious projects like St. Louis’ Pruitt-Igoe and Chicago’s...
It’s so easy to fall into the mindset that your job is the most important work in the whole world. Employed as a journalist? You are dedicating your career to uncovering the truth and preserving the freedom of the press! Work at a bank? You handle the...
Maybe you've heard about Tactical Urbanism—a neighborhood building approach that harnesses the ingenuity and spirit of communities to quickly improve city life. If these projects inspire you, it's probably time to launch an intervention of your own.
We live in challenging times. The shocks and stresses of global warming affect every community in one form or another. Rising seas and storm surges swamp coastal communities. Floods and droughts of biblical proportions are visited on city dwellers and...