Westland, MI takes seriously the fun value of mud baths. In July every year Wayne County Parks and Recreation Department mixes 200 tons of topsoil and 20,000 gallons of water to create a giant lake of mud for children to play in at the “Mud Day” festival. They are following in the footsteps of spa … Read more

Most long time residents of Salt Lake City will tell you, they would have never believed their city could be at the forefront of public transportation innovation. Looking back just a few decades, Salt Lake was just as automobile dependent as most rust belt cities. Local government support for new planning techniques has revolutionized the … Read more

What were they thinking? They portray a girl in a car gloating while the embarrassed biker tries not to be identified? This ad, run in student newspapers and fliers across the country, infuriated and disgusted students, faculty and university staff. GM thought they were being very cute, but apparently they did not anticipate the angry … Read more

We are saddened by the sudden passing of Peter Benson, President of the Search Institute and author of All Kids Are Our Kids. If you heard his speech at the 46th IMCL Conference in Santa Fe, or have read All Kids Are Our Kids, you will know that Peter was a passionate advocate for rebuilding … Read more

What is a “Community Hub”? The term is being used in different ways, in different places. From the British “Pub is the Hub”, to schools, neighborhoods, and neighborhood plazas, they are all steps toward the creation of more livable communities. The only way we can make our cities and communities more healthy, livable, creative (and … Read more

Making Healthy Places is an essential book for all those concerned with how the built environment affects physical, mental and social health and well-being. Andrew Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin and Richard Jackson have compiled a comprehensive text that lays out this new field of study, looks at the data, and identifies some of the tools for … Read more

The creation of public spaces to celebrate cultural heritage and facilitate positive interaction between diverse community groups is an effective way to create healthy communities. In Portland, Oregon is a project that aims to do just that. The Portland Development Commission and the Albina Neighborhood Association are working together on a 2 million dollar renovation … Read more

US Census Data Statistics shows a distinct correlation between obesity rates and the percentage of the population living below the poverty line. Seven of the top ten states on the obesity list also include the highest concentration of poverty. Highly processed foods are cheap, and many families sacrifice their dietary needs in order to purchase … Read more