Gordon Padelford’s Post

Spot-on piece from the editors at Scientific American: "The U.S. has the highest number of traffic deaths among wealthy countries, with more than 38,000 deaths per year between 2015 and 2019. The death rate is more than double the average rate in other wealthy countries. Vehicle crashes are among the leading causes of death in the U.S. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can design or redesign streets to make people drive more slowly or to discourage driving altogether. We can invest in better public transit, including subways and buses with dependable, on-time service. And we can change zoning laws to allow denser housing and mixed-use developments, so people can live closer to where they work, attend school or socialize. These are changes that even the largest, most sprawling cities can and should implement." https://lnkd.in/daHraw-G

I beat this drum on the regular. If you come to me with a gas-powered car vs. EV argument, I will reframe that as a cars vs. mass transit argument. The kind of cars we have on the road and the impact of each kind of car on the environment is not the only discussion we should have—the goal should be to create a less car-dependent society in general.

"Yet widening or expanding the number of streets only incentivizes more people to drive, which creates more traffic. At the same time, cars have gotten bigger and deadlier—SUVs and trucks now represent more than 80 percent of car sales in the U.S. If we want to give more space to pedestrians, cyclists and people using wheelchairs, we need to separate them from high-speed vehicles by building more well-maintained sidewalks, curbs with inclined cuts and protected bike lanes and by implementing traffic-calming measures such as narrower streets, speed bumps and traffic medians. We should invest in improving public transit to make it an inviting alternative to cars."

From the editors of Scientific American, « We Need to Make Cities Less Car-Dependent »: « Making these changes curbs air pollution, which causes millions of excess deaths worldwide every year, and reduces the amount of greenhouse gas we pump into the atmosphere with every drive to the grocery store. Traffic deaths and air pollution are social justice issues, disproportionately harming people of color. In addition, cities that are more car-dependent are often less accessible for the considerable part of the population that can’t drive, including children, people with disabilities, people who can’t afford a car or insurance, and many older people. ... Too often efforts to reduce car dependence are met with fierce opposition by people who dismiss them as “socialism” or a “war on cars.” But drivers also benefit from many of these changes, which would reduce traffic and make driving safer. Others argue that these changes will harm people with disabilities, yet the opposite may be true—reduced car dependence, if paired with improved, disability-centered infrastructure, could make cities more accessible. » 

An interesting read for anyone who hasn't seen it. Cambridge and the rest of the 'Golden Triangle' showcase ambition, innovation, and collaboration through their leaders, institutions, investors, and companies. Despite this, there are still challenges hindering the growth of the Life Science sector and its full potential. The report sheds light on key issues in Cambridge, including housing affordability, water shortage, transport infrastructure, and laboratory space, that are impeding progress and holding back development. The government is stepping in to bolster Greater Cambridge's science and tech capabilities by investing in the city. By addressing housing and lab space constraints, they aim to drive regional and national growth while enhancing living standards for residents. Interested to hear thoughts on this from people currently working within the space. How much of an impact are these issues currently having? #Cambridge #LifeScience #Innovation

What do the cities of tomorrow might look like? Join the upcoming seminar of Cities are Back in Town tomorrow to explore this question : 🗓 November 28, 2024 🕠5:30 PM – 7:00 PM CET 💻 Online via Zoom (compulsory registration required) Urbanization is at an all-time high, but are cities truly good for us? How did we come to believe that urban life can be harmful? And what would a city built for our well-being actually look like? In 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝑫𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑰𝒏 𝑺𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘 (2004), sociologist Des Fitzgerald takes us on a journey through the ideas and innovations shaping the future of urban life. From groundbreaking thinkers to unexpected questions—like the role of trees—this book examines how cities can be reimagined from the ground up. Speaker 🌟 Des Fitzgerald Sociologist and medical humanities scholar at University College Cork. Author of The City of Today is a Dying Thing (2024) and The Urban Brain (2022, with Nikolas Rose). Discussant: 🗣 Francesca Ferlicca Postdoctoral Researcher, Urban School, Sciences Po. 🔗 Register now : https://lnkd.in/eFn6NSjR Tommaso Vitale Petra Samaha Ilaria Milazzo Eva Bossuyt

Is this how we should be doing policy? Graphic on this paper on "Assembling a Cabinet of Curiosities: Using Participatory Action Research and Constructivist Grounded Theory to Generate Stronger Theorization of Public Sector Innovation Labs" https://lnkd.in/eHJuQDHV

My manuscript: "The Ribbon of Light: Space-as-Media and a Transforming Barrio" has been published in the Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies Journal. "The demolition of the Sixth-Street Bridge in Los Angeles, and its subsequent replacement is an illuminating case study that shows interconnections between media, space, mobility, and gentrification. By viewing the bridge through the concept of space- as-media, I argue that the strategic changes made to the Sixth- Street Bridge need to be understood as the installation of a medium of gentrification, altering urban space to fortify particular mobility through the city. The new bridge, as a medium, effectively transforms the meaning of the urban space it inhabits and alters its meaning for a future Los Angeles."

Dr Mark Diesendorf signs! As we close in on 3,000 signatures on our "Say NO to a Big Australia!" Position Statement, we are delighted to announce that Mark has signed. Dr Diesendorf is an Honorary Associate Professor, Environment & Society Group, School of Humanities & Languages, Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture UNSW Sydney. He joins a growing list of "notable" signatories, which include Dick Smith, Kelvin Thompson, Steve Keen & others. Mark has asked us to include this quote, a position we absolutely support: "Environmental impact can be broken down into three factors: population, consumption per person, and technological impact. If we are serious about protecting the environment, which is our life support system, we must reduce all three factors." Here is the link to his new book, which we highly recommend to all our followers who seek deeper knowledge: https://lnkd.in/gJYG-pnX It's a powerful endorsement for SPA's mission when eminent people sign, but just as important are the thousands of ordinary Aussies who've signed to demonstrate their backing for our campaign. If you haven't already signed, here's the link: https://lnkd.in/gHBjisSd #overpopulation #resourceconservation #sustainabilitymatters #populationcontrol #scarcity #populationchallenges #actfast

The Winter issue of Landscapes | Paysages is edited by students which is why students, educators and researchers are invited to submit their ideas, draft articles, or abstract for the Winter 2024 issue. Their ideas should be built around the question - what does the future of landscape architecture education look like within the context of these three themes - education, innovation and advocacy. Have an idea? Send your pitch ideas by August 16 to: [email protected] https://ow.ly/pl2E50SzKAl