Post Archive by Month

By Brian Skeele, on June 22nd, 2011 A polar bear, sent by his people to save their way of life, finds himself driving an ice cream truck around suburbia, on a mission to reverse global warming, one ice cream at a time. Episode #4 Village in a Box hits the streets. EPISODE #4 (previously…..Polar Sam is unveiling Village in a Box; …

By Brian Skeele, on July 19th, 2011 The Great American Quest, ” life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” has led us to the mountain top, the shopping mall. We sat there in rapture, beaming and gleaming in the sunlight streaming into the food court, all the abundance of our bags full of awesome stuff. We filled our homes up with the …

By Brian Skeele, on March 21st, 2011 is your neighborhood playing with a full deck of cards? To help folks become conversant in all the parts that go into a sustainable neighborhood, while having fun at the same time, how bout a deck of playing cards??!  Like baseball cards, but with a different component on each card; An illustration on …

By Brian Skeele, on September 19th, 2011 I came across this article on Retrofitting the Burbs.  Nice round up of ideas. Click here for the entire article by Aron Chang.  Also, see my earlier post on home-made services and home occupation in OPEN HOUSE, a  one weekend “happening” in Levittown. New Opportunities I believe that as designers we cannot accept as inevitable …

By Brian Skeele, on April 2nd, 2011 Sustainable Neighborhood via killer apps When it comes to Sustainability, the US is just as lost as most other nations.  We have the added challenge of massive amounts of established suburbia, whereas Europe, for example,  has much compact development built before the automobile. I’ve heard it said the Europeans have a lifestyle that is twice …

Why own?… when you can Carshare!! By Brian Skeele, on March 20th, 2011 Oh my God!  We can share stuff, even cars! Sustainable living with a carshare! Can you imagine, you can rent out your car by the hour??!! yep, human ingenuity strikes again. You probably have heard of Zipcars, and other private car share programs.  Well, another variation on …

Vibrant, Alive, Affordable + Living Lightly Locally= Sustainable Neighborhoods By Brian Skeele, on June 17th, 2015 5 Planets! How are we, the US of A, going to be a serious leader if our lifestyle requires 5 planets of resources?? How are we going to look our grandchildren in the eye and say with pride “All this is yours!”?? The good …

By Brian Skeele, on September 19th, 2011 I came across this article on Retrofitting the Burbs.  Nice round up of ideas. Click here for the entire article by Aron Chang.  Also, see my earlier post on home-made services and home occupation in OPEN HOUSE, a  one weekend “happening” in Levittown. New Opportunities I believe that as designers we cannot accept as inevitable …

Vibrant, Alive, Affordable + Living Lightly Locally= Sustainable Neighborhoods By Brian Skeele, on June 17th, 2015 5 Planets! How are we, the US of A, going to be a serious leader if our lifestyle requires 5 planets of resources?? How are we going to look our grandchildren in the eye and say with pride “All this is yours!”?? The good …

By Brian Skeele, on July 15th, 2011 I’m looking for the 12 step program and enrolling the country. A vibrant alive, great place to live gets “discovered”, the prices go thru the roof,  the locals get bought out, and the neighborhood ends up with hard working professionals, empty nesters, and second homes. Some would say this phenomena is a good …