Kaid Benfield's Blog
About
- Bio:
Co-founder, LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system; co-founder, Smart Growth America coalition; author, Once There Were Greenfields (NRDC 1999), Solving Sprawl (Island Press 2001), Smart Growth In a Changing World (APA Planners Press 2007), Green Community (APA Planners Press 2009); voted one of the "top urban thinkers" in 2009 poll on Planetizen.com.
Attorney, recovering litigator, cyclist, blogger, dreamer.
"I want this blog to be a conversation about the intersections between development, community, and the environment. I believe there is a positive, solution-oriented story to tell about smart, sustainable development, and we in the environmental movement have an obligation to do better than we have in the past to articulate it and to speak up in favor of pragmatic, attractive solutions. We have wonderful examples from enlightened developers, architects, and planners, and they deserve to be celebrated as the environmental heroes that they are.
"I won't hesitate to criticize UNsustainable development, and I also won't hesitate to criticize those who cloak themselves as environmentalists for selfish, anti-environmental ends. But I hope to keep the tone more positive than not.
"I was raised in the mountains of western North Carolina, surrounded by some of the most beautiful environment nature can provide. Although it took me a while, it was an easy leap from there to working on behalf of the natural world. I spent the first 20 years of my career as a litigating attorney, and then a few as a lobbyist. But my heart is with crafting and advocating the solutions in a non-adversary way. My wife Sharon is also an attorney, and we live in a village-y part of DC where we can enjoy trees, peace and quiet, yet still walk to Metro and restaurants.
"I love music of all kinds, sometimes make it, and consume it vociferously. And I love riding my bikes, especially with people who make me push the pace. I like all kinds of sports, cities, literature and travel. I want to be an architect when I grow up."
Follow Kaid on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Kaid_at_NRDC.
- Roots in:
- North Carolina, USA
- Favorite place:
- Right now? The Luxembourg Garden in Paris
- Why "environmentalism" matters:
- Because the environment matters.
Recent Blog Posts
- EPA's new, interactive green homes site (November 20, 2009)
- A close-up look at a revitalization district (Indianapolis, part 2: the challenges) (November 19, 2009)
- Living green above the big box (November 18, 2009)
- Habitat partners with state, private sector to build affordable LEED-ND project in Oakland (November 17, 2009)
- Urban education: the next environmental and smart growth frontier (November 16, 2009)
- New book ‘Green Community’ defines and illustrates sustainable neighborhoods, towns, cities (November 13, 2009)
- ‘Dangerous by Design’ report faults systematic inattention to pedestrian safety (November 12, 2009)
- “Housing First” offers glimmer of hope for homeless veterans, others (November 11, 2009)
- Major real estate report: shift to urban living is “fundamental,” outer suburbs may “lack staying power” (November 10, 2009)
- New York state moves to align new infrastructure with smart growth (November 9, 2009)
Read more in Kaid Benfield's Archives→
- Kaid Benfield
- Director, Smart Growth Program
- Washington, DC