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Ring in spring at America’s best offbeat beaches
Dave G. Houser Recreation & LeisureAs winter's chill begins to fade, there's no better way to ring in spring than with a trip to the beach. But rather than settling for just any beach in 2017, let's expand our spring beach bucket list to some lesser-known strands around the country. To that end, we've zeroed in on 10 brag-worthy but off-the-beaten-path beaches where you'll find yourself well out ahead of the summer crowds — and with nary a spring break reveler in sight.
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What to consider when working out your landscape contract
Doug Haymore Facilities & GroundsWe all want to get the things we need for a price that works for us, and commercial landscape maintenance is no exception. However, when it comes to commercial landscaping, it's worth it to invest a little more. Your landscaping is one of the first things customers will see, and it's important to look good for them. To make sure that your landscaper can live up to your expectations, go into your meetings with these things fresh on your mind.
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Urban challenge: Rethinking America’s love affair with suburbia
Lucy Wallwork Civil & GovernmentTo kick off this series on U.S. cities, we looked at the rise of the metropolitan mayor. In the next few pieces, we will look at a few of the major challenges facing those mayors in shaping their cities for the demands and opportunities of the 21st century.
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US braces for climate backlash as 109 countries sign Paris Agreement
Andrew Gaved Waste Management & EnvironmentalThe election of Donald Trump has provoked alarm among some policymakers and industry bodies who fear he will row back on the emissions reductions they have worked toward in recent months. As climate leaders met last month in Marrakech, Morocco, to officially sign the Paris Agreement on climate change, committing the 109 signatories to firm targets on carbon reduction, U.S. policymakers pointedly used the opportunity to make clear that the nation did not share the president-elect's views.
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Discovering America’s best botanical gardens
Dave G. Houser Recreation & LeisureIf poet Ralph Waldo Emerson was right when he said "the earth laughs in flowers," then get ready for a chorus of laughter as botanical gardens across the nation burst forth in blossom this spring. The cultivation of ornamental gardens goes back a long time. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, for example, are one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Laid out by French King Louis XIII in the 1630s, the enchanting Gardens of Versailles are seen by many experts as having set the world stage for formal gardens.
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Cities: Welcoming the era of the American mayor
Lucy Wallwork Civil & GovernmentAs Donald Trump's inauguration approaches, I will begin this series on cities by looking at the rising power of city mayors in the U.S., and why their emergence may calm the nerves of liberals contemplating life under President Trump. Political theorist Benjamin Barber thinks that "mayors should rule the world." Urban think tank the City Mayor Foundation agrees, boldly stating that "in this century, metropolitan areas, rather than nation states, will shape the world's social, cultural, technological and economic agendas."
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Smart home devices help monitor and mitigate indoor air quality
Jennifer Tuohy Facilities & GroundsAir quality is becoming one of the biggest global threats to public health, putting people at risk for respiratory diseases, stroke, heart disease and lung cancer. According to research released earlier this year, air quality levels exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for 80 percent of those living in urban areas that track air pollution. In the UK, for example, air pollution is believed to cause between 40,000 and 50,000 deaths a year; in London it may be killing more people than smoking does.
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Cold weather pest control: The icy reality of winter infestation
Doug Haymore Facilities & GroundsDuring the winter season, humans are not the only ones affected by the cold weather. The pests outside your facility are also feeling the nip in the air. Like many others, you may have thought these critters die off when the cold weather comes around. However, pests can survive throughout the season and make their way into your facility. Insects like earwigs, carpenter ants and oriental cockroaches will look for moist, warm areas with a food supply as it gets cold out.
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Use landscaping to cut down commercial energy consumption
Doug Haymore Facilities & GroundsYou've done all the right things — you turn down the thermostat after hours, you've replaced your light bulbs with LEDs, and you even ensure your computers hibernate quickly when not in use — but you're running out of ways to cut down on your energy usage. While all of those internal ideas are a step in the right direction, it can be helpful to look outside for even more ideas.
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Creating a better world with design
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesA substantial and growing body of research attests to what designers have long known. The design of the spaces we inhabit has considerable impact on our health, mood and state of mind. Now, researchers and practitioners are probing even further to discover the ways that design also can affect our behavior. What they are finding suggests it may be possible in the not-too-distant future to create spaces that promote not only health and well-being, but also more positive behaviors.
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