Overview

Here is a refreshing look at how American cities are leading the way toward greener, cleaner, and more sustainable forms of economic development. In Emerald Cities, Joan Fitzgerald shows how in the absence of a comprehensive national policy, cities like Chicago, New York, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle have taken the lead in addressing the interrelated environmental problems of global warming, pollution, energy dependence, and social justice. Cities are major sources of pollution but because of their population density, reliance on public transportation, and other factors, Fitzgerald argues that they are uniquely suited to promote and benefit from green economic development. For cities facing worsening budget constraints, investing in high-paying green jobs in renewable energy technology, construction, manufacturing, recycling, and other fields will solve two problems at once, sparking economic growth while at the same time dramatically improving quality of life. Fitzgerald also examines how investing in green research and technology may help to revitalize older industrial cities and offers examples of cities that don't make the top-ten green lists such as Toledo and Cleveland, Ohio and Syracuse, New York. And for cities wishing to emulate those already engaged in developing greener economic practices, Fitzgerald shows which strategies will be most effective according to each city's size, economic history, geography, and other unique circumstances. But cities cannot act alone, and Fitzgerald analyzes the role of state and national government policy in helping cities create the next wave of clean technology growth. Lucid, forward-looking, and guided by a level-headed optimism that clearly distinguishes between genuine progress and exaggerated claims, Emerald Cities points the way toward a sustainable future for the American city.

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9780195382761

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Goes a long way toward filling the factual vacuum on clean energy development...The foundation of solid on-site business reporting and economic research on which Emerald Cities is built makes the book, as well as its author's formidable conclusions, worthwhile reading for anyone concerned about the relationship between the quality of life in the U.S economy and the sustainability of life on the planet. The Huffington Post

<br> Fitzgerald, an urban planner, delivers informative accounts of contemporary trends, closing with an exhortation for national planning to mature green technologies. --Booklist<br> Emerald Cities is definitely a must read....a nuanced and fair-minded study of urban sustainability and economic development. --Sustainability<br> Comprehensive in scope, Emerald Cities is an invaluable resource for those desirous of sustainable and prosperous cities. Essential. --CHOICE<br> Cities have long been places of innovation; this book showcases what is possible. Joan Fitzgerald captures in her stories the true essence of how cities have faced the crisis of climate change and responded with novel solutions that utilize energy efficiency and renewable energy. Those who know and believe in the power of cities to bring about change and want to make a difference must read her book. --Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa, City of Los Angeles <br> Few advocates of green cities actually pay enough attentio

<br> Goes a long way toward filling [the] factual vacuum on clean energy development....The foundation of solid on-site business reporting and economic research on which Emerald Cities is built makes the book, as well as its author's formidable conclusions, worthwhile reading for anyone concerned about the relationship between the quality of life in the U.S economy and the sustainability of life on the planet. --The Huffington Post<p><br> Fitzgerald, an urban planner, delivers informative accounts of contemporary trends, closing with an exhortation for national planning to mature green technologies. --Booklist<p><br> Emerald Cities is definitely a must read....a nuanced and fair-minded study of urban sustainability and economic development. --Sustainability<p><br> Comprehensive in scope, Emerald Cities is an invaluable resource for those desirous of sustainable and prosperous cities. Essential. --CHOICE<p><br> Cities have long been places of innovation; this book showcases what is poss

Author Information

Joan Fitzgerald is the Director of the Law, Policy and Society Program at Northeastern University and the author of Moving Up in the New Economy: Career Ladders for U.S. Workers and Economic Revitalization: Cases and Strategies for City and Suburb. She lives in Boston.

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