It's not all gloom and doom for the environment.
Frederick Reimers finds plenty of reasons for positivity when it comes to the environment. But, first, an acknowledgement of why people might feel "gloomy" about the state of the earth's ecosystem: "The climate continues to change, causing a host of issues, from more catastrophic weather and wildfires to the increased acidification of our oceans. Meanwhile, we have a president actively working to erode hard-won ecological protections."
Those kinds of setbacks provide more than enough reason for environmentalists to stay vigilant, and that they have. Reimers cites a long list of environmental victories, like the passage of the Natural Resources Management Act in February 2019; new public wilderness area created by the Tennessee Wilderness Act, protecting 20,000 acres of the Cherokee National Forest, and the Flatside Wilderness Enhancement Act, adding 640 acres to the 9,541-acre Flatside Wilderness near Little Rock; numerous court victories over the environmental rollbacks of the Trump administration (thanks, California!); the ongoing demise of single-use plastics; an increasing number of dam removals; and renewed access to the Potomac River for paddlers, after a U.S. Coast Guard decision blocked the a popular stretch of the river whenever President Trump golfs at the Trump National Golf Club.
FULL STORY: 5 Good Environmental News Stories from the Past Year
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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