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Civility and Technology

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 14:13:42 +0000

Originally Published in the Norwalk Patch on June 2, 2011 The use of technology has changed the way we live over the last 25 years in more ways than any of us can count. Whereas we had barely seen a personal computer in 1986 (remember the IBM 5150?), now I can only think of a …

The Importance of Bike/Ped Planning

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 21:37:33 +0000

Originally Published in the Daily Norwalk Oct 2, 2011 The importance of bike and ped planning to create a livable, walkable and bikeable city became very evident to me today. Having previously risked life and limb on an extended walking tour of my part of the city, I know the hazards of side view mirrors and …

TOD in Action

admin — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:32:57 +0000

By Nancy Chapman Originally Published in the Daily Norwalk NORWALK, Conn. – A brick building on Chestnut Street may be in for a transformation now that developers have gotten zoning approval to turn the old factory into office space and apartments. SoNo Metric LLC plans to turn 11 Chestnut St. into 11,000 square feet of …

Transit Oriented Development

admin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:05:38 +0000

Originally published in the Norwalk Hour August 17, 2011 “Transit-Oriented Development” (TOD) is the cornerstone of sustainable development activities in the 21st Century. TOD stands in sharp contrast to Auto-Oriented development, or what has become the basic model of suburban development since World War II. In that model, a family lives close to a highway …

The High Line or a Community Project Success

admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:25:08 +0000

Originally Posted in the Norwalk Patch, July 18, 2011 I recently had the opportunity to see an amazing feat of urban engineering and some downright creative re-use of abandoned rail line. If you have not had the opportunity to check out theHigh Line on Manhattan’s West Side, stop reading, get up and go now. Running from …

Unemployment and Jobs – A Creative Approach

admin — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:45:17 +0000

Originally printed in the Norwalk Hour on June 28, 2011 It is with cruel truth that Input/Output Analysis teaches us that the loss of jobs at the top of the economic spectrum will create a cascading multiplier effect. Lose one banker at the upper end and 4 or 5 local service jobs disappear and so …

Green Collar Jobs Investment

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 22:45:04 +0000

Originally posted on the Norwalk Patch May 25, 2011 I read with interest recent reports about a symposium at Norwalk Community College about “green-collar” jobs. What is a “green-collar” job? My definition would be someone who works in a non-traditional manner to produce a product or service in a sustainable manner. What does that mean? …

Hope and Memorial Day

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 22:12:46 +0000

Originally posted on the Norwalk Patch on May 11, 2011 The month of May begins with hope…the hope of a new spring and for kids the hope that the school year will soon be over. The month ends with that hope rewarded…Memorial Day…which has become the unofficial kickoff of summer…a weekend filled with All-American Picnics, …

Older Americans Month

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 18:13:59 +0000

Originally printed in the Norwalk Hour April 8, 2011 John F. Kennedy, a member of our “Greatest Generation” and the man who led us to put a man on the moon, also designated May as Senior Citizen Month beginning in 1963. 17 years later in 1980, Jimmy Carter changed it to Older Americans Month. In …

Regional Development in Southwestern Connecticut

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:36:50 +0000

Originally Printed in the Norwalk Hour, December 12, 2010 Life in southwestern Connecticut is changing rapidly and not necessarily for the better. The economic crisis has hit us hard and solutions leading to real sustainable economic development are in short supply. If we do not improve the prospects for young workers, they will continue to …