Category Archives: consumerism

Forget the latest planning buzzword and just plan

First it was “context sensitive solutions,” then “cool cities,” followed by “third places,” and most recently it has been the term “15 minute city.” All of these terms (and a myriad of others) are principally buzzwords meant to promote and … Continue reading

Posted in advertising, Advocacy, books, branding, business, cities, civics, civility, Communications, consumerism, culture, education, history, land use, literature, marketing, opinion, placemaking, planning, politics, product design, reading, Social media, third places, urban planning, writing, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cities/suburbs should replan street networks for low-speed electric vehicles

As the electric vehicle revolution expands around the globe, one factor that cities and suburbs need to start accounting for is the increased adoption of low-speed electric vehicles for personal and transit use. Whether you refer to them as low-speed … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, Alternative transportation, Bus transportation, Cars, cities, civics, climate change, commerce, consumerism, density, downtown, electric vehicles, engineering, environment, EVs and hybrids, fun, geography, health, highways, history, inclusiveness, infrastructure, land use, logistics, new urbanism, parking, pictures, placemaking, planning, politics, pollution, product design, revitalization, shopping, solar, spatial design, sprawl, Statistics, technology, Trade, traffic, transit, transportation, Travel, urban design, urban planning, walking, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cleverly cultivated cannabis shop names

Source: cannabliss-nm.com The following list identifies those existing cannabis shop names that are catchy and clever from a business branding, marketing, and advertising standpoint. Of these, my selections for the best five names are the following: 2. Karmaceuticals 3. Atomic … Continue reading

Posted in advertising, branding, business, commerce, Communications, consumerism, culture, economic development, entrepreneurship, health, Health care, land use, marketing, natural and organic foods, place names, product design, tourism, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Monikers/nicknames for film and movie-making hubs

The allure of stardom not only applies to those in acting, but also the geographic locations where movie magic is made. The following list identifies those places around the globe where film/movie-making has been significant enough for the city/region/nation to … Continue reading

Posted in Africa, art, Asia, branding, business, Canada, Caribbean, China, Cities, commerce, Communications, consumerism, culture, economic development, entertainment, Europe, film, fun, geography, history, India, industry, Latin America, Mexico, movies, North America, Oceania, pictures, placemaking, planning, South America, Television, theaters, tourism, Travel, UK, video | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Strict planning & zoning destroys eclectic, offbeat, and funky

After three decades in the planning profession and several more years since retirement, I’ve come to the conclusion that if you want your community to maintain or build a funky, hip, offbeat, or eccentric vibe, it can not be done … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, advertising, Advocacy, archaeology, architecture, art, branding, business, cities, civics, commerce, consumerism, Cuisine, culture, demographics, deregulation, diversity, economic development, economic gardening, entertainment, entrepreneurship, family, Food, fun, gentrification, health, historic preservation, history, homelessness, Housing, humanity, inclusiveness, infrastructure, land use, landscape architecture, marketing, Mining, opinion, pictures, placemaking, planning, poverty, product design, revitalization, shopping, signs, Small business, social equity, spatial design, third places, tourism, Travel, urban design, urban planning, visual pollution, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Regional and semi-national fast food burger chains

Most of us are familiar with the national fast food burger chains like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Five Guys, Sonic, and Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. But, there are many local, regional, and semi-national burger chains that dot the map and … Continue reading

Posted in advertising, branding, cities, consumerism, Cuisine, culture, Food, food systems, fun, geography, history, land use, product design, shopping, Statistics, third places, tourism, traffic | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The steaming hot market for drive-thru coffee shops

Across the country there is an ongoing boom in freestanding drive-thru/walk-up coffee shops. These units rarely, if ever, incorporate indoor seating, though they may have some outdoor seats. Instead these shops are designed and meant for customers on the go … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, bicycling, branding, business, Cars, Cities, coffee shops/cafes, commerce, consumerism, Cuisine, economic development, food systems, geography, history, infrastructure, land use, marketing, placemaking, planning, product design, shopping, spatial design, Statistics, third places, traffic, Transportation, Uncategorized, urban planning, walking, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tucumcari – Where signs are art

A recent trip through Tucumcari, New Mexico on old Route 66 revealed a litany of roadside history, not least of which were some amazing signs. The following photo montage depicts a sample of these structures and reveals the artistry of … Continue reading

Posted in advertising, architecture, art, branding, Cities, commerce, Communications, consumerism, culture, fun, geography, highways, historic preservation, history, land use, pictures, placemaking, product design, signs, tourism, Trade, Travel, urban planning, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Creating LA’s starlit aura – “The Mirage Factory”

What an outstanding book! Perhaps, my favorite the best city biography ever read. Author Gary Krist simply nails it with The Mirage Factory. It’s entertaining, enthralling, infuriating, and thoroughly engaging to read. You will definitely learn some amazing and eye-opening … Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, art, book reviews, books, branding, business, Cars, cities, civics, commerce, Communications, consumerism, culture, demographics, economic development, entertainment, entrepreneurship, environment, film, fun, geography, Geology, government, highways, historic preservation, history, Housing, humanity, industry, infrastructure, injustice, land use, marketing, movies, music, nature, pictures, place names, placemaking, planning, politics, product design, racism, reading, Religion, rivers/watersheds, social equity, spatial design, sprawl, Statistics, technology, theaters, topography, tourism, Trade, traffic, transportation, Travel, urban design, urban planning, Women, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Planning for the EVolution in charging stations

As the number of EV (electric vehicle) charging stations have increased, their design and appearance have grown in style and variety. While many EV charging stations are currently accessory uses on the site of other uses like hotels, theaters, parking … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, advertising, Alternative energy, Alternative transportation, architecture, branding, Cars, cities, climate change, commerce, Communications, consumerism, culture, economic development, electric vehicles, energy, environment, futurism, infrastructure, land use, landscape architecture, light pollution, marketing, pictures, planning, pollution, product design, Renewable Energy, spatial design, Statistics, sustainability, tourism, Trade, traffic, transportation, Travel, urban design, urban planning, video, visual pollution, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment