Articles About Environment and Planning
Richard Jackson thinks it’s time to stop blaming individuals for the U.S. obesity problem. The problem, he believes, is far more systemic, including the automobile-centric design of modern American life and the ready availability of high-sugar and high-fat foods. He thinks today’s parental fears of child abductions are not realistic and hurt children’s need for […]
I’ve spent much of the past few months researching Mecklenburg County’s creeks, for a PlanCharlotte.org project called KEEPING WATCH on WATER: City of Creeks. A related gallery exhibit opened March 27 at UNC Charlotte Center City. To see a full list of events, click here, or visit KeepingWatch.org for updates. To whet your appetite for […]
FOR UP-TO-DATE EVENT INFORMATION ABOUT KEEPING WATCH, PLEASE VISIT KEEPINGWATCH.ORG What creek is in your neighborhood? Where did it come from, and where is it going? Why was Charlotte settled amid so many creeks? Are urban streams important? Where does rainwater go? Can we do anything to help with pollution or flooding? Why should we […]
After three years of citizen engagement and the creation of a Regional Growth Framework for the 14-county Charlotte region, the CONNECT Our Future initiative moves into the implementation phase, to assist local governments in their individual efforts to realize the goals and objectives of that framework. One element of the implementation phase is a collaboration […]
I was fortunate to have a completely new and exciting hunting experience recently, going grouse hunting in West Virginia. I’ve not done much upland bird hunting, so it was different from most of my hunting experiences. It was both challenging and exhilarating, and I can’t wait to go again. Grouse live mostly in wooded areas, […]
Do you have a favorite Main Street, greenway, or historic rehabilitation? Join in this year’s competition to nominate and vote on your favorite North Carolina places. More information Visit www.greatplacesnc.org for more information, nominating forms and past winners. Great Places in North Carolina is an awards program created in 2012 to highlight North Carolina’s Great […]
I have a notepad on my kitchen counter for a running grocery list, and there’s one on my desk devoted to errands and chores. I’ve kept a digital file of all the books I’ve read for more than 20 years. My nature observations are recorded in a hefty, leather-bound journal. Despite an obvious affinity for […]
Since the first U.S. zoning laws in the early 20th century, one of their essential principles has been separating uses. Houses, stores, apartments and offices were kept apart from each other. One unintended consequence was more traffic, as people needed to drive from place to place. Another was that, as jobs and work changed, zoning […]
Weaving baskets from natural materials. Gathering wild forest plants to create remedies. Whispering an incantation over a skin burn to take away the pain. Those all might sound like traditions from a forgotten age, but they’re activities that are still alive or were recently practiced in North Carolina’s Uwharrie Mountain region, a recent report says. […]
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to spend a day in the field with two luminaries from the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. Ornithologist John Gerwin has studied the special population of black-throated green warblers that breeds on forested peaks in the Uwharries, and he was eager to spend some time in our grasslands. […]
You have probably heard of a number of “Friends” groups, such as “Friends of State Parks,” or “Friends of the Library,” or any of a number of other groups. These groups are typically nonprofit organizations formed to help support the work of a local, state or federal government agency. These groups don’t have to be […]
A Friday “sustainability fair” in uptown Charlotte will mark the city’s participation in America Recycles Day. The event will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at The Square (Trade and Tryon streets). More on recycling The story behind your recycling bin Why you can’t toss these in your recycling bin Facts, figures on plastics and recycling Hosts […]