Preface:

Nicknamed Filthadelphia, the city’s urban environment faced enormous challenges and presented numerous opportunities, particularly when we planned for climate. The course explored Philadelphia’s urban environment, the past, the present, and the future. We examined Philadelphia’s history, planning, policies, politics, and technologies around urban agriculture, green stormwater infrastructure, the urban heat island, solar and renewable energy, vacant land management, air pollution, water, trash, environmental justice, climate mitigation, and climate change planning. The course also introduced new technologies for civic environmental monitoring and engagement such as low-cost air pollution monitoring and other environmental sensing, storytelling, and mapping technologies.