News from the International Town & Gown Association

Encourage Renting and Mobility to Reduce Sprawl
WASHINGTON, DC - A NASA operations engineer writes in his Greater Greater Washington Blog, on the topic of encouraging home renting over ownership as a means to reduce sprawl. The writer, David C quotes Richard Florida, Tyler Cowen and Steven Svlinski in the article supporting the concept of stopping policies of subsidizing home ownership. An additional argument is made by the writer that by reducing home ownership in favor of rental would encourage the unemployed and employed to move closer to work.

College Town to certify 'sustainable' restaurants
ANNAPOLIS, MD - An article in The Capital, Hometown Annapolis reports that restaurants in this college town may soon be certified that they're doing their part to minimize their effect on the environment.

The city is offering a free certification program to highlight environmentally friendly restaurants.
Restaurants will earn certification for practices as varied as buying local or organic food, recycling
used fryer oil, printing on both sides of paper, saving water and educating customers.

Georgia officials trying targeted grazing to get rid of pervasive plants

WATKINSVILLE,GA - As reported by writers for the Athens-Banner Herald, area agencies, including the Athens-Clarke County government and the University of Georgia, have taken notice of sheep as an environmentally sensitive way to battle non-native, invasive plants. Industry, agricultural and
conservation organizations are sponsoring a demonstration of so-called "targeted grazing" at a wildlife sanctuary south of Watkinsville.

Clarington: future college or university town?
CLARINGTON, Ontario, Canada - The Durham Region News writes that the Clarington Board of Trade believes that the municipality needs post-secondary schools and that if you can train young adults locally, they will remain in the area. The local Board of Trade is calling for a task force to assess post-secondary needs locally. The organization has asked Mayor Jim Abernethy to form a task force to look into the idea.
Clarington's Board of Trade suggests that post-secondary schools could take the form of a satellite campus of either Durham College or the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

Towson Residents Address State Legislature

TOWSON, MD - According to the Towson Town & Gown blog, the community spoke before the Maryland House Appropriations Committee in Annapolis during a hearing over House Bill 693, the Community Impact Statement. The community representatives proclaimed their declaration for the University System of Maryland to stop giving Towson funding to grow. The group first spoke to the Maryland Board of regents and now to the state elected representatives.

A Blog from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh:
Do We Need A Sustainability Director?
OSHKOSH, WI - A professor from the University of Wisconsin opines in his Lake Winneblogo blog, on the need for a Sustainability Director for the University and whether sustainability may be just a current buzz-word. This mini-controversy has now been a topic in their town & gown relations over the past week.