Ecocities need eco-citizens. Top-down fixes have limits. Meaningful progress toward sustainability also requires changes in the behavior of individuals. The European Commission...
Category - Ecocity Snapshots
Smaller (and better) Cities
Many cities have been struggling with declining populations for decades. However, depopulation will become widespread in the future, causing panic for mayors who assume that...
Greener and Happier
Vilnius, Lithuania prioritizes happiness in its quest to become a greener city. It seems to be working. The city just began its reign as the 2025 European Green Capital. Most of...
Ecomobility: Learning from Europe
For the past century, most US cities have gone to extremes to accommodate cars. As a result, we have sprawling conurbations well suited to cars but less so for human beings...
Artificial Intelligence and Ecocities
by Rick Pruetz, Vice President, Ecocity Builders Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the best and/or worst new thing. Advocates say it will rocket mankind to new heights of...
Peak Population and the Ecocity Standards
by Rick Pruetz, Vice President, Ecocity Builders Around the world, birthrates are falling and the ability to offset that trend through in-migration is uncertain for various...
Seniors and the Housing Crisis
by Rick Pruetz, Vice President, Ecocity Builders For decades, experts have urged older Americans to move into shared-housing arrangements and senior housing developments for...
The Skinny of Safer Streets
by Rick Pruetz, Vice President, Ecocity Builders Over 7,500 pedestrians in the United States were killed by cars in 2022. We no longer call these tragedies an accident. Street...
A Step in the Right Direction
by Rick Pruetz, Vice President, Ecocity Builders The first car-free development in the United States was recently unveiled in Tempe, Arizona. One 17-acre infill project may not...
Ecomobility Bridges the Political Divide
by Rick Pruetz, Vice President, Ecocity Builders States are primarily using transportation funding to accommodate roadway expansion for cars, resulting in even more climate...