Sustainability
30 articles

Local Businesses: The Struggle for Sustainable Practices
Urban firms are increasingly familiar with green business practices, but a critical lack of funding blocks the sustainability ambitions of many local enterprises.

New England fisheries face mounting economic pressures
Amidst the live music, boat parade, and silent auction of a recent New England fundraiser, fishermen and business owners united to spotlight the severe economic challenges threatening their livelihood

What Is the 15-Minute City Concept in Urban Planning?
Despite its promise of hyper-local convenience, empirical evidence consistently reveals significant intra-urban inequalities in how the 15-minute city concept actually performs across different neighb

Top 2 Unique Food Festivals and Culinary Events for 2026
In Portland, Oregon, Urban Gleaners tackles food waste head-on, rescuing nearly 1.

Community repair events boost sustainability and neighborhood bonds.
Last year alone, volunteers at nearly 160 community repair cafe events fixed more than 7,400 items, demonstrating a powerful, grassroots counter to the throwaway culture, according to insideclimatenew

Are You Really Supporting Local? Why Bliss Marketplace Is Rancho Cordova's Community Hub
Bliss Marketplace champions genuine local shopping in Rancho Cordova by offering a curated hub for Sacramento-area makers, collectors, and artists. It fosters a community-driven environment, contrasting with traditional markets by focusing on curation, collaboration, and deep vendor support.

How to Start and Manage a Community Garden
A thriving community garden, capable of boosting local food security and biodiversity, requires a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily, good drainage, and immediate water access.

Non-Profit Expansion: Overcoming Challenges for Sustainable Growth
Esperanza San Felipe, a non-profit that successfully demobilized all four street gangs in one Panama City neighborhood and reintegrated 70% of its graduates into work or business, was shut down in 202

Mixed-use developments boost urban cores, countering sprawl's costs
Office spaces within mixed-use environments can command rental prices that are 22-33% higher than equivalent stand-alone office buildings, according to Ube Ac Uk .

8 Best Unique Culinary Experiences in 2026
At Scrappie's Pizzeria, opening soon in Beacon Hill, the secret to their unique pizza dough lies in pulverized leftover bread.

Why Supporting Local Farmers Markets Matters
For every $1 million in revenue, direct-market farms create almost 32 local jobs, a significant increase compared to the 10.

How to Support Local Sustainable Businesses: A Complete Guide
In Sonoma County, a local green business certification program helps small businesses not only reduce waste but also increase customer trust and employee retention, directly addressing how to support local sustainable businesses.

Local Businesses See Surprising Economic Benefits from Sustainability
The pilot program to transform Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park into an eco-industrial park helped participating businesses reduce nearly 23,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually and save approximately VND66

How to Start a Successful Local Community Garden in 2026
Just 3 to 5 committed individuals can spark a green revolution in their neighborhood, transforming vacant lots into vibrant hubs of fresh produce and social connection.

What Are the Top Challenges for Urban Green Spaces?
In a study of 28 North American and European cities, urban greening was a leading or contributing factor in citywide gentrification in 17 places between 1990 and 2016, according to the Lincoln Institu

Local Businesses Embrace Sustainable Practices for Future Impact
At necessary & sufficient coffee®, customers bringing their own cup get a discount, but the real story is how this local cafe has woven zero-waste, living wages, and local partnerships into its very f

How to Participate in Local Development Planning for 2026
A small municipality, by adopting a Voluntary Local Review (VLR) process, found its previously siloed departments—from urban planning to social services—suddenly collaborating on shared sustainability

How to Start and Sustain a Community Garden for Long-Term Growth
A single community garden can unlock up to $1 million in federal funding, a critical resource for local development.

Parkhill Sets New Green Standard for Local Businesses
While many businesses tout green initiatives, in Austin, design firm Parkhill has achieved a rare Platinum-level status, demonstrating that deep operational sustainability is not just aspirational, bu

3 Local Businesses Championing Sustainable Practices
Between January and April this year alone, a composting machine at three Malaysian malls processed over 455,000kg of food waste, transforming it into fertilizer and reusable water, according to Free M

Local food businesses cut plastic waste, proving sustainability pays off.
In Berkeley, one local coffee shop slashed its single-use cup waste by 40% in just six months.

Santa Monica's Tourism Boom Threatens Neighborhoods, But a Solution Exists.
Despite generating an estimated $917 million in annual spending for its local economy, Santa Monica faces a projected structural General Fund operating deficit of $29.

How to Start and Manage a Community Garden in 2026
Community gardeners report significantly higher levels of subjective well-being compared to those who tend individual home gardens, suggesting a unique boost to happiness.

What Is a Short-Term Mission Trip and How Does Thirst Missions Ensure a Lasting Impact?
A short-term mission trip is a one-to-two-week volunteer experience where groups support ministry and community development, often in a cross-cultural setting. Thirst Missions organizes these trips, focusing on long-term community partnerships and locally-driven projects to ensure a lasting, positive impact.

Green Commitments Waver, But Regulations Drive Sustainable Business Forward
Over the last two years, a quarter of companies have slashed their sustainability headcount and budgets, according to Trellis Group data.

What Are the Benefits and Challenges of Urban Community Gardens?
While often seen as simple plots of land, urban community gardens are quietly transforming diets and social bonds across neighborhoods.

Green Certification: Local Businesses Embrace Sustainability
Businesses participating in green certification programs have collectively mitigated over 400,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, a significant environmental achievement.

Kincardine's 6 Eco-Friendly Sustainable Practices
On June 18, the Kincardine Theatre Guild will host a 'Relove Runway' circular fashion show, an initiative by the Kincardine Environmental Action Network (KEAN) to promote sustainable clothing practice

Historic neighborhoods are cheaper and denser than new urban development.
In San Diego, historic districts are nearly twice as dense as other residential neighborhoods, challenging the conventional wisdom that new construction is the sole path to urban density.

What are the benefits of community gardens in urban spaces?
In Quezon City, Philippines, over 4,000 urban farmers have been trained as the city transformed unused land into more than 300 gardens and 10 farms, according to Grist .