Synopses & Reviews
"What about the twenty-first century? Will we finally accept our responsibilities as guardians of planet Earth, the biological living trust, for the beneficiaries, the children of today, tomorrow, and beyond? Or, will it too be a century of lethal, economic struggle among the polarized positions of the supremely dysfunctional among us? Are they—once again—to be allowed to determine the legacy we, as a society, as a nation, bequeath those who follow us? The choice is ours, the adults of the world. How shall we choose?"So writes Chris Maser in this compelling study of three interactive spheres of the ecosystem: atmosphere (air), litho-hydrosphere (rock that comprises the restless continents and the water that surrounds them), and biosphere (all life sandwiched in between).
Rich in detail and insightful analogies, Earth in Our Care addresses key issues including land-use policies, ecological restoration, forest management, local living, and sustainability thinking. Exploring our interconnectedness with the Earth, Maser examines today's problems and, more importantly, provides solutions for the future.
Review
andquot;The combination of thorough analysis and the contributors' specificity make this an extremely valuable resource for planners seeking ways to promote regionalism.andquot;
Review
andquot;an emporium of regional planning initiatives and concepts, well organized for people who suspect a regional initiative would facilitate sustainable human communities or adaptive natural environments in their region.
Regional Planning for a Sustainable America offers a broad look at a phenomenon that has many contexts and variations, and it delivers a valuable chronicle and assessment of an experiment that is half-finished and still ongoing.andquot;
Synopsis
Regional Planning for a Sustainable America is the first book to represent the great variety of todayandrsquo;s effective regional planning programs that combat America's poorly designed, sprawling development. The book analyzes dozens of regional initiatives across North America by bringing together the expertise of forty-two practitioners and academics. Regional Planning for a Sustainable America provides a practical guide to the key strategies that regional planners are using to achieve truly sustainable growth.
Synopsis
Regional Planning for a Sustainable America is the first book to represent the great variety of todayandrsquo;s effective regional planning programs, analyzing dozens of regional initiatives across North America.
The American landscape is being transformed by poorly designed, sprawling development. This sprawlandmdash;and its wasteful resource use, traffic, and pollutionandmdash;does not respect arbitrary political boundaries like city limits and state borders. Yet for most of the nation, the patterns of development and conservation are shaped by fragmented, parochial local governments and property developers focused on short-term economic gain. Regional planning provides a solution, a means to manage human impacts on a large geographic scale that better matches the natural and economic forces at work. By bringing together the expertise of forty-two practitioners and academics, this book provides a practical guide to the key strategies that regional planners are using to achieve truly sustainable growth.
Synopsis
Pressing environmental challenges are frequently surrounded with stakeholders on all sides of the issues. Opinions expressed by government agencies, the private sector, special interests, nonprofit communities, and the media, among others can quickly cloud the dialogue, leaving one to wonder how policy decisions actually come about.
In Environmental Policy Analysis and Practice, Michael R. Greenberg cuts through the complicated layers of bureaucracy, science, and the public interest to show how all policy considerations can be broken down according to six specific factors: 1) the reaction of elected government officials, 2) the reactions of the public and special interests, 3) knowledge developed by scientists and engineers, 4) economics, 5) ethical imperatives, and 6) time pressure to make a decision.
The book is organized into two parts, with the first part defining and illustrating each one of these criteria. Greenberg draws on examples such as nuclear power, pesticides, brownfield redevelopment, gasoline additives, and environmental cancer, but focuses on how these subjects can be analyzed rather than exclusively on the issues themselves. Part two goes on to describe a set of over twenty tools that are used widely in policy analysis, including risk assessment, environmental impact analysis, public opinion surveys, cost-benefit analysis, and others. These tools are described and then illustrated with examples from part one.
Weaving together an impressive combination of practical advice and engaging first person accounts from government officials, administrators, and leaders in the fields of public health and medicine, this clearly written volume is poised to become a leading text in environmental policy.
About the Author
Michael R. Greenberg has studied environmental policy for almost forty years and is a professor and associate dean at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. He is the author and coauthor of numerous books, including The Reporter's Environmental Handbook (Rutgers University Press).
Table of Contents
List of Figures
Acknowledgments
Introduction
PART I: Mandatory Plans
1. Regional Growth Management in the Portland Metropolitan Area
2. Regional Planning for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
3. Restoring the Tahoe Region with Comprehensive Regional Planning
4. Ontarioandrsquo;s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
5. Adirondack Park: The Great Conservation Experiment
6. Pinelands National Reserve: Saving a Unique Ecosystem in the Nationandrsquo;s Most Densely Developed State
7. Planning for Tomorrow in the Highlands of New Jersey
8. Restoration, Conservation, and Economy in the New Jersey Meadowlands
9. Changing the Land Use Paradigm to Save New Yorkandrsquo;s Central Pine Barrens
10. Cape Cod: Protecting a Land of Sand and Water
PART II: Collaborative and Voluntary Planning Initiatives
11. Integrated Planning for a Sustainable Future in Puget Sound
12. Integrated Land Use, Transportation, and Air Quality Planning in Sacramento
13. Envision Utah: Building Communities on Values
14. Regional Planning in Florida
15. Regional Planning for Livable Communities in Atlanta
16. From the Mountains to the Sea: Marylandandrsquo;s Smart Growth Program
17. Raising the Bar at the Chesapeake Bay Program
18. The Political Dead Zone in Chesapeake Bay
19. Regional Planning at a County Scale in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
20. Land Use and Infrastructure Planning in the Greater Philadelphia Region
21. Regional Planning for the Delaware River
22. Planning for Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry, and Biodiversity in Maine
PART III: Society, Economics, and Regional Planning
23. Regions for Climate Resiliency
24. Megaregion Planning and High-Speed Rail
25. The Economic Benefits of Regional Planning
26. Serving the Environment and Economy through Regional Planning
27. Promoting Fiscal Equity and Efficient Development Practices at the Metropolitan Scale
28. But Where Will People Live? Regional Planning and Affordable Housing
PART IV : Land Acquisition and Regional Planning
29. Ecoregional Conservation: A Comprehensive Approach to Conserving Biodiversity
30. Saving the Chesapeake Bay through Regional Land Conservation
31. Creating Synergy with Regional Planning and Conservation Easements
PART V: Envisioning the Region
32. Creating a Regional Vision for Regional Planning
33. Visioning Sacramento
Conclusion: Fulfilling the Promise of Regional Planning
References
Online Resources
Index