Landscapes2 Related References
The Chester County Board of Commissioners officially announced the results of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Taskforce and have released the final report. The Report provides a blue print for how County government, municipal and private sector partners can take action to conserve energy consumption and reduce the generation of greenhouse gases. Together, these recommended actions will help save money as well as the environment.
Local home becomes a model for sustainable landscaping. A home along rural Creek Road outside Kennett Square was recently selected by the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) to participate in a pilot program designed to evaluate a new rating system for sustainable landscapes.
Draft Transportation Improvement Program. DVRPC released the FY11 – FY14 Draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for public comment from June 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010. The Draft TIP online includes a list and map of the 60 projects in Chester County programmed with over $390 M for the next four years.
Pennsylvania Farmland Protection Milestones. Way to go, Pennsylvania! In 2009, Pennsylvania residents protected over 21,500 acres of farmland on 232 farms. That brings the state’s all-time total to 425,000 acres of protected farmland.
$1 Million in Scholarships for Private Sector Green Job Training to Help Spur U.S. Economy. GREENandSAVE’s Eco Academy, Devon, PA, announces the launch of an unprecedented $1 M Energy Service Scholarship Program (ESSP) to help create job opportunities and stay ahead of the expanding demand for trained green building and energy specialists.
EPA MyEnvironment is designed to provide a cross-section of environmental information based on the user's location.
Planning Related References
Forbes: Where Americans Are Moving.
More than 10M Americans moved from one county to another during 2008. The map below visualizes those moves. Click on any county to see comings and goings: black lines indicate net inward movement, red lines net outward movement.
Americans Spending More On Housing Than Ever. 18.6 M American households – renters and homeowners alike – spend more than half their income on housing, according to a new study by Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies.
Smart Growth Planning; a transportation perspective. Measuring the transportation effects of smart growth is an integrated, environmentally-sensitive approach to land use and transportation planning.
Land Use and Driving: The role of compact development can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Now, three studies - 1) Moving Cooler, 2) Growing Cooler, and 3) Driving and the Built Environment—have analyzed and documented the effect of compact development on driving and greenhouse gas emissions.
Alternative fuel vehicles information: Millions of light-duty and heavy-duty alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles are used by government agencies, private companies, and consumers. Alternative and advanced vehicles come in a variety of makes and models and run on a number of different fuels. Find and Compare Cars.
2010 Fuel Economy Guide: The annual fuel cost estimates in the 2008-2011 electronic fuel economy guide are updated weekly to match EIA's current national average prices for gasoline and diesel fuel.
The EPA ratings are a useful tool for comparing the fuel economies of different vehicles but may not accurately predict the average MPG you will get. To find out what you can do to improve the fuel economy of your car, see Driving More Efficiently and Keeping Your Car in Shape.
Upcoming Events
MidAtlantic Renewable Energy Association Presents: Pennsylvania renewable energy & sustainable living Festival, September 17, 18, 19.
Links
- US Energy Information Administration
- American Farmland Trust: Saving the Land that Sustains Us
- Delaware Valley Smart Growth Alliance: The 5 D's: Why Smart Growth is Financially Sustainable
- Chester County Dwell
- Local Amish Farms
- Local Harvest
- Buy Fresh Buy Local
- PA State Association of Township Supervisors