Welcome to Switzer Network News, a regular series of news reports produced by Jerry Kay of Media Interchange and Switzer Fellows. These reports profile the environmental accomplishments and innovations of Switzer Fellows as leaders in their respective fields.  We encourage you to subscribe to our reports which are available via iTunes, Google, and Yahoo, as well as email.

Switzer Network News: Architecture & Urban Planning Posts

Ditching Dirty Diesel
Wednesday, April 17 2013

Diesel-powered vehicles are a significant source of pollution, impacting health and contributing to climate change. The Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaborative, a coalition of community, environmental advocacy and public health departments, is working together with the Pacific Institute to reduce the impact of this pollution on low-income communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Protecting Ourselves from Diesel Fumes
Tuesday, March 5 2013

Los Angeles, California, is one of the biggest transportation in the world, but that has major health implications for residents. Exposure to diesel fumes has an impact on everyone, and Switzer Fellow Scott Fruin documents those effects, especially on children.

Building Healthier Hospitals
Tuesday, October 23 2012

We usually think of hospitals as a beacon of health, but they can have an impact on workers and patients.

Making Affordable Housing Green
Thursday, September 13 2012

Housing developers are always looking to improve their bottom line.  Homeowner's Rehab, a small nonprofit that owns over 1,000 units of affordable housing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, goes about this in a unique and sustainable way.  They "green" their portfolio by installing energy efficient devices in their properties, which helps them meet both financial and social goals.

TransForm: Building with Transit in Mind
Monday, January 2 2012

How does urban sprawl and highway expansion impact the environment and the quality of life? That question is being addressed by TransForm, a coalition of environmental, social justice and public health groups in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Uncovering the Ecological Past
Thursday, October 27 2011

Switzer Fellow Chuck Striplen (2003) talks about the important role played by historical ecologists in uncovering the pre-colonization landscapes of the San Francisco Bay Area.