Dylan's blog

Let's face it, large cities and urban areas can be pretty crazy places at times.  So many people to deal with on a daily basis, so much noise, so much traffic, and so much general stress.  With the rate of changes in technology how can anybody even keep up it may seem at times.

Fresh water is something that is generally not thought about, or at the very least taken for granted, by the typical Florida resident.  But where does Florida's fresh water actually come from?  Well, the answer to this question is that most of Florida's fresh water comes from either the underground aquifer or the St. Johns River, both of which are absolutely crucial and vital to Florida's overall environment and ecosystems.

Nuclear energy very clearly is not safe, and so therefore we should very obviously be exploring other forms of renewable energies to power New Urbanist communities as you can very clearly see in the image to the right.  What you are very clearly looking at is a cloud of hot particles of radioactive cesium, cobalt, and iodine 131, just to name a few, that wafted in the breeze and clouds over the Pacific Ocean and into the United States where it rained down in the form of nuclear fallout onto our homes and farm lands.

Recently a New Urbanist community comprehensive plan has been proposed and found to be in compliance by the courts in Volusia County, Florida.  This New Urbanist community comprehensive plan rests on a tract of land called Farmton.  This tract of land has historically been agricultural lands for the production of trees, especially pines.  It is also in an environmentally sensitive area.

http://www.farmtontreefarm.com/

Costa Rica is one of those countries that is leading the way in renewable energy istallation and production.  The country intends to become the first carbon-neutral country by the year 2021.  In 2008, oil contributed to only 8% of the country's total electrical power generation capacity.  Hydroelectric is the primary source of energy for the country, generating 81% of the total power generation.  Wind generated energy contributes the same amount as oil for the country- 8%.

Recently in 2012, a 50-year plan has begun to be devised for the sustainable development of the next 50 years of one of the most densely populated regions in the United States- Southeast Florida.  The plan is called seven50, and can be largely accredited to CNU.  

http://seven50.org/

If New Urbanism is compact, mixed-use, walkable, public transportation oriented development, then what is it not?  Well the photo to the right is a good example of what New Urbanism is not.  This photo is of what is known as "urban sprawl."

Recently a fraudulent banking scandal was brought to light known as the LIBOR scandal. LIBOR stands for London Inter-Bank Offer Rate.  This fraudulent banking scandal has rocked the whole world's financial system, and could very well be the root cause of the economic downturns experienced by the US, as well as most other developed nations in the world.

Ocean level rise is a very controversial topic in the development field.  There are many studies and theories as to exactly how much the ocean levels will rise in the coming years; and then of course there is the school of thought that people that believe in global warming/climate change and/or ocean level rise are a bunch of psychotic lunatics that should be sent to the mental health clinic and medicated thoroughly.

Believe me, I'm just as alarmed at the title of this Blog as you are!  But in response to Alex Lenhoff's recent Blog titled: How To Revolutionize A City's Transit System an Orlando, FL Case Study.....

http://www.cnu.org/cnu-salons/2013/01/how-revolutionize-citys-transit-sy...