ARTICLES
The Original Articles archives of CharacterTowns.org presents papers that discuss practical and conceptual ideas for designing, building and managing character towns and small cities that are interesting, pleasant and prosperous places for residents, businesses and visitors.
France’s Efficiency in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: What Can ‘Oui’ Learn?
With 58 nuclear power reactors producing nearly 72% of France’s electricity in 2018, France is one of the countries with the highest share of nuclear power in its energy production. Along with this energy, however, France’s nuclear fleet is also responsible for producing a significant amount of spent fuel and radioactive waste. The strength of […]
Frederick Law Olmsted at 200
Designing an American Landscape Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) is recognized as the founder of American landscape architecture and the nation’s foremost parkmaker. Olmsted moved his home to suburban Boston in 1883 and established the world’s first full-scale professional office for the practice of landscape design. During the next century, his sons and successors perpetuated Olmsted’s […]
FROM THE BOSTON GLOBE: Prom dresses, cake pans, and power tools: Welcome to the new public library
Public libraries have evolved to meet the needs of their communities, with some even building housing. As needs continue to change, so too will libraries. John Agnew has lived in Caruthersville, a small farming community in Missouri’s southeast Bootheel region, for every one of his 42 years. Yet he hadn’t set foot in the public […]
From the Climate Change Series: Measuring Sea Level
Sea level is measured by two main methods: tide gauges and satellite altimeters. Tide gauge stations from around the world have measured the daily high and low tides for more than a century, using a variety of manual and automatic sensors. Using data from scores of stations around the world, scientists can calculate a global […]
From the Climate Change Series: Meltwater pulse 1A
From the Climate Change Series Meltwater pulse 1A (MWP1a) is the name used by Quaternary geologists, paleoclimatologists, and oceanographers for a period of rapid post-glacial sea level rise, between 13,500 and 14,700 years ago, during which global sea level rose between 16 meters (52 ft) and 25 meters (82 ft) in about 400–500 years, giving […]
From the Climate Change Series: What’s Causing Sea Level To Rise?
Global warming is causing global mean sea level to rise in two ways. First, glaciers and ice sheets worldwide are melting and adding water to the ocean. Second, the volume of the ocean is expanding as the water warms. A third, much smaller contributor to sea level rise is a decline in the amount of […]
From the Climate Change Series: Why Sea Level Matters.
In the United States, almost 40 percent of the population lives in relatively high population- density coastal areas, where sea level plays a role in flooding, shoreline erosion, and hazards from storms. Globally, 8 of the world’s 10 largest cities are near a coast, according to the U.N. Atlas of the Oceans. In urban settings […]
Generators of Greenhouse Gases
Sources of greenhouse gases grouped into five categories: FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail
Retail Home Deliveries, Ginovus Article
There are few things that have disrupted the retail world more than e-commerce. Online shopping has changed the way Americans shop for everything from clothing to groceries. Well-known retailers like Sears and Toys ‘R Us have dealt with declining sales and bankruptcy, while online giants like Amazon continue to expand. As the online marketplace has […]
Glasgow Climate Change Conference
Global warming is dangerously close to spiralling out of control, a U.N. climate panel said in a landmark report Monday, warning the world is already certain to face further climate disruptions for decades, if not centuries, to come. Humans are “unequivocally” to blame, the report from the scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change […]
Global Readiness Challenge – 2021 and Beyond
NOTE FROM CharacterTowns.org: Whether or not your community decides to participate in this program, understanding the criteria and the processes can be useful with local planning and urban design activities. The 2021 Readiness Challenge’s theme is ‘cities helping cities. FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail
globalwarmingindex.org
From CharacterTowns.org…The technical details and the math may be hard to follow, butthe two graphs present an undeniable picture of global warming. Ck out their website to stay tuned for updates. FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail
Governing the Character Town: The Town’s Equity Mechanism
THE SYSTEM. The system for governing a small city or town relies on the citizen-legislator to be the locally elected officials serving on the town council or city commission. They have direct contact with their constituents and they set policy for the city staff through a professional manager. Small cities or towns that cannot afford […]
Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations.
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations or The Great Exhibition (sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held), an international exhibition, took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October 1851. It was the first in […]
Great Neighborhoods: A Commitment to Primacy
A core asset of every town is its neighborhoods. As the city pursues its vision of being an interesting, pleasant and prosperous place, neighborhood creation, enhancement and preservation must take center stage as a primary strategy of the city. The first step is to embrace the primacy of neighborhoods as the most important obligation of […]
Great Neighborhoods, A Model for Creating Strong, Successful and Sustainable Places for People to Live
Great Neighborhoods are the essential building blocks for successful communities. They also fulfill the primary purpose of city government…to enhance lives and protect families in their homes and neighborhoods. This article describes a model for building and maintaining great places for people to live and raise their families. Since a neighborhood is more than a subdivision or […]
Green Innovation at Phipps
Celebrated as the most energy-efficient structure of its kind when it opened in 2006, this 12,000-square-foot display greenhouse uses almost no electricity … Built in 1893 at the height of Pittsburgh’s industrial revolution, Phipps Conservatory — a gift to the city from philanthropist Henry W. Phipps — was brought into existence as a sanctuary, a […]
A Ton of Greenhouse Gas
A Ton of Carbon Dioxide Gas is the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. Reports indicate that about 30 billion tons of CO2 entering the atmosphere annually; it seems unfathomable to 30 billion VW Beetles floating aloft each year. This seemingly invisible gas is the by-products of urban life. The sources of CO2 and other Greenhouse […]
Greenville SC, A Quintessential Character Town.
GREENVILLE is the county seat of Greenville County in northwest South Carolina. Created in 1786, the county was named either for the American Revolutionary War hero General Nathanial Greene or for its physical appearance, or both. Greenville has all the attributes of a character town: a vibrant downtown, historic close-in neighborhoods and urban parks. The […]
Greenwood Lakes Community Center
Greenwood Lakes Community Center is in the Greenwood Lakes PUD that was initiated in the 1970s. Lands were reserved for several community assets, including: Greenwood Lakes Middle School, Northwest [Seminole County] Public Library, Greenwood Lakes Park with “easygoing public park offering a trailhead, a roller-hockey rink, playgrounds & picnic facilities”, and Lake Mary High School. […]