Sustainability : Features

Forget "greed is good." Today's entrepreneurs want to make money and save the world at the same time.

Think it's hard to grow food in the city and make money at it? You'd be 100% correct. Still, that hasn't stopped these intrepid farmers from trying--and, in some ways, succeeding.

School gardens, a second classroom where hands-on learning reigns supreme, are cropping up across the nation. Two cities  – D.C. and Denver – are changing the way their gardens grow with innovative additions to their programming.  

Beekeepers in the city, their hives newly legalized, are helping the environment and making some sweet cash on the side.

We're taking a long-awaited vacation, so this week, enjoy these greatest hits from our archives.

Don't call it a complete guide to bikeshare. Call it Elevation DC's take on answering the bikeshare questions you (should) think hardest about.

From D.C. to Seattle,  alleys are being reinvented as people-friendly spaces. Often perceived as dirty and dangerous, alleys are moving beyond garbage and garages to become havens for pedestrians, public art and small business.

D.C. council mulls adding a "food czar"--which could mean more urban farms, local food, and green initiatives for all.

Here, "being green" means more than just feeling good about recycling; it can mean helping a family make their rent.

Issue Media Group publications such as Yonge Street in Toronto, High Ground in Memphis and Model D in Detroit cover "what's next" for urban centers. In this recurring feature, we highlight the top stories in urban innovation from all across our national network.

The proposed elevated park across the Anacostia would be a first for D.C. With a national design competition for the bridge kicking off, Elevation DC checked in on the park and its goals of fostering economic development, community health, and a cleaner river.

Memphis is on the rise thanks to a growing startup community, investments in bike lanes, a burgeoning arts district and people moving back to the city. In this spotlight from sister publication High Ground, read what's so smart about Memphis.

When the chef's away, these food entrepreneurs come out to...work. They're taking the sharing economy to the next level, by splitting space (often for free) in exchange for menu items or equipment.

The foundation educates youth and young adults while improving Kingman Island for future generations.

An alternative paving material called Flexi-Pave is being piloted by DDOT and appears to be a solution to a long list of infrastructure challenges in D.C., including the age-old war between tree roots and sidewalks.