Conspicuous non-consumption is really faux environmentalism; climate change is a social problem, not a personal one We’re in the midst of the holiday shopping season, a potent reminder of how consumerism dominates so much of our lives. Even before black…
What City Observatory did this week 1. Cities, Ideas and Us: Paul Romer’s Nobel Address. Romer, who won this year’s Nobel Prize in the Economic Sciences had some interesting things to say about cities in his address to the Royal…
Harnessing the value of public assets to support the civic commons It’s widely recognized that public assets, like parks, libraries and community centers, generate important and tangible benefits for their neighborhoods. But it’s seldom the case that the value of…
The number of eating places per capita is a key measure of a city’s livability Cities are great places for consumers. They provide an abundance and variety of choices, especially in the form of experiences. While our conventional economic indicators…
Cities are critical to expanding the circle of “us” and generating the new ideas that propel progress In October, Paul Romer was awarded the Nobel Prize in the Economic Sciences for his work on technology and economic growth. This past…