In ONE hour, 11am EST 700+ registered • FREE webinar • STREETS REIMAGINED: FOR PEOPLE & PLANET Guests: Skye Duncan, ED, Fabrizio Prati, Dir., Global Designing Cities. FREE • Register & share: bit.ly/4nWTbhy Invite: Cities for Better Health & 8 80 Cities Tues. Jan. 13 at 11am EST

Join our longtime friend @penalosag.bsky.social tomorrow for his next #Cities4Everyone webinar — featuring Skye Duncan & Fabrizio Prati from GDCI to discuss 'Streets Reimagined: for People and Planet'! When: January 13 | 11:00am EST Register: gpenalosa.ca/webinar/ #UrbanHealth

Tomorrow, FREE webinar • STREETS REIMAGINED: FOR PEOPLE & PLANET Guests: Skye Duncan, ED, Fabrizio Prati, Dir., Global Designing Cities. FREE • Register & please share: bit.ly/4nWTbhy Invite: Cities for Better Health and 8 80 Cities Tues. Jan. 13 at 11am EST / 4pm UTC

Good news: • Over 1/4 of all world's vehicle sales are now EVs! • Last months more than 1/2 all sales in China and 1/3 Europe EVs. • Over 20% Turkey, Thailand, and Vietnam. Not perfect but much better than fossil-fuel. Even better: proximity to walk, bike, use public transit.

Positive.News Chile creating a national park “at the end of the world”. 150,000 hectares of subantarctic forests, peatlands, coastline at southern tip of Americas. Rewilding Chile donated 127,000 ha on condition it's national park within 2 years. bit.ly/4qdmuNL

Children's Health & Happiness. Getting to / from school can be joyful and exciting, or boring and long. Thanks Sam Balto, elementary teacher in Portland who saw Bike Bus in Barcelona and asked, why not in USA? He did it, huge success. Now helping others: BikeBusWorld.org

Let's celebrate, recharge, and move forward doing better. Less than 100 years ago, 6 of 10 people had "NO formal education." Today? With more than 4 times the population, just 1 of 10 with no formal education. Yes, it should be zero. Clearly moving in the right direction. Source: Our World in Data

STREETS REIMAGINED: FOR PEOPLE & PLANET FREE • Invited to my webinar #Cities4Everyone Guests: Skye Duncan, ED, Fabrizio Prati, Dir. Design, Global Designing Cities FREE • Register & please share: lnkd.in/gi7RWZHz Invite: Cities for Better Health & 8 80 Cities Tues. Jan. 13 at 11am EST / 4pm UTC

Today, if a person is good at anything, teacher, nurse, artist... can live anywhere, in the world. Competition between countries, cities, neighborhoods, is about retaining & attracting good people. Cities must be playful, fun, lots of parks, libraries, programs... or lose pop.

Children in nature, year-round. Children's Health & Happiness. "If children don't grow up knowing about nature and appreciating it, they will not understand it. And if they don't understand it, they won't protect it. And if they don't protect it, who will?" Sir David Attenborough

Good intentions are NOT enough. As with most New Year's resolutions. Cities must make LIVING HEALTHIER & HAPPIER the easy choice. Situational behavior. Policy + infrastructure + programs. My priority is to help them do it. NEW keynotes, workshops. Advising. gpenalosa.ca

Good intentions are NOT enough. As with most New Year's resolutions. Cities must make LIVING HEALTHIER & HAPPIER the easy choice. Situational behavior. Policy + infrastructure + programs. My priority is to help them do it. NEW keynotes, workshops. Advising. gpenalosa.ca

Streets Reimagined: for People and Planet Bi-weekly webinar #Cities4Everyone Guests: Skye Duncan, ED, Fabrizio Prati, Dir. Design, Global Designing Cities Initiative. Register & pls share: bit.ly/4nWTbhy Invite: Cities for Better Health & 8 80 Cities Tues. Jan. 13 at 11am EST / 4pm UTC

Congestion pricing is working. Who says? New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Initially timid... studied it, gave green light. Now enthusiastically supporting NYC's CONGESTION PRICING. • Fewer vehicles • Less pollution • Business improved • Lots $$ for Public Transit, Walk, Bike Your city? Just do it!

It's a nice feeling to wake up knowing that a person with, knowledge, experience, and integrity is running your country, surrounded by many great people committed to doing what they consider is best. Much success, many fronts. Grateful to Prime Minister Carney and team.

Grandchildren & Grandparents, magic. Cities making healthy & happy living the easy choice must include intergenerational activities. Policy, infra., programs. Ex: playgrounds & libraries with area for grandparents. Win-win. Children play, olders socialize. Pure joy my time with grandchildren.

Dry January... Less alcohol is healthy; eliminating sugared drinks is healthier. Both, better. Coke doesn't have ONE ingredient good for humans. Cities should make healthy living the easy choice. Good intentions are not enough. In all PUBLIC, as schools, parks, libraries, ban selling soft drinks.

In 2026 Let’s recuperate The Lost Art of Lingering Chilling. Enjoying people and places. The small things. The me with me time. Watching people go by, feeling the city, feeling the wind. It improves our mental & social health. It's fun. And free. RCC: bit.ly/4jo5pyn

SIDEWALKS can be the most important infra in a city. It's where people meet boy/girl friends, neighbors, people selling flowers, coffee, belonging. Over 1/3 people do NOT drive. Sad: ONE of four streets in Toronto do NOT have a sidewalk! If elected off. don't care, change them!

Extreme weather needs adequate infrastructure. Working in Dubai, UAE, at +40C/104F AND in Norilsk, Russia at -40C/-40F I saw the need for bus stops with air conditioned in one and heating on the other. Public transit must be priority, from origin to destination. 52 weeks. Everywhere.

Why do many cities have such negative signs at parks' entrances? PLEASE: Start AND end positive. Highlight activities that CAN BE DONE. Inform nicely of those that can't be done Think of friends & family when writing these signs. Residents are... people like you. Photos Toronto & Dubai.

Cuba’s Lost Opportunity!! To have built world’s best bicycle system. And walk. Ideal conditions: • Gigantic 1950’s roads • Very few cars • Very flat, great weather • ‘Easy’ decision making! It has NOT been a tech or $$ issue; it's been lack of vision, action, political will.

Sunday run through gorgeous Toronto ravines, parks, and Lake Ontario is priceless!! Why do I live in Toronto? I love it. 18% area are ravines, plus lake Ontario, Humber & Don rivers... and magnificent vibrancy brought by over 1/2 born in another country. Truly multicultural.

When your grandchildren who live in tropical Colombia come for the holidays and do their first Snow Angels... magical!! Pure joy. Then marvel at how animals live in High Park, across from my condo. #Grateful!

In many countries today they celebrate the Day of the Innocents / April Fool's Day! Sadly, too many leaders, public, private, nonprofit sectors do think/say as the image: "I don't believe in Global Warming' even with the flood waters up to their necks! Urgency for new leadership!

As I discussed in the interview, these are the 5 STEPS TO MAKING BETTER CITIES I’ve been using for many years, and eventually wrote about in @fastcompany.com. Too many cities are stuck in Step 2 (doing the wrong things better), and have to really be careful in Step 4 (doing the right things badly).

Love Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain God was not as generous with them as with next door San Sebastian. However, God gave them magnificent people. My favorite small city, from over 100 Walkable. Green. Soft density. Now? E-bike share, by the hour or by the month! #MugiBike 29,90€/month JCEA lnkd.in/ekrd_VP6

Dr. Nadina Galle Learned from her Podcast: • We protect what we have a relationship with • Restoration works fastest when it’s local • Cities are where future of nature will be decided • Small doses of nature have outsized effects • Technology helps most when it stays humble Read why: bit.ly/4p9TyVJ

What went right in 2025? According to Positive.News: • Ocean treaty ‘a landmark victory’ • Slowing deforestation • Scientists treated the ‘untreatable’ • 'Golden age’ of cancer treatment • Norway’s EV drive a ‘big lesson’ • Smartphone-free childhood movement bit.ly/4siEnwn

Barcelona... lovely! It's NOT tech or $$. Common sense people over CAVEs (Citizens Against Virtually Everything). An 8 80 City, for Everyone • AAA: All Ages & Abilities. More children, olders, people with disabilities? Not really. Some cities make it safe & joyful to be outside. Everyone.

CAVE residents are NOT all residents. Tiny minority: Citizens Against Virtually Everything. Why are CAVEs & NIMBY powerful? Because staff & elected off. gives them power! Ex: Montgomery Co, usually a great place, cancelled sidewalks!! It's a Human Rights issue, not a screaming match! bit.ly/4j7Vvk1

The Power of Leading Through Local. How Cincinnati is meeting the moment. “There’s a daily give and take that’s necessary with strangers. It’s a reminder that it is possible to share a place with people you don’t know, and to have a life with them.” RCC: bit.ly/3KYF6SA

Biophilic Cities is. Read & share. Highly recommended: The Role of Urban Nature in Politically Divisive Times, by Tim Beatley. HEALTH AND WELLNESS Integrating Nature Into Healthcare Spaces, by Vishakha Verma. Children & Olders, close to nature. 8 & 80 Cities. www.biophiliccities.org/bcj-vol-5-no-2

FREE. Compilation of some of our best presentations, 14 out of 100!! Joyful & useful knowledge, on how to make our cities more equitable, sustainable, and playful, where all can live healthier and happier. Enjoy watching. #Cities4Everyone #TheWebinar Wishing you joyful holiday season. Kindly, Gil

FREE Masterclass I #Cities4Everyone, The Webinar! We've reached #100, with 50,000+ participants from 35+ countries! Participants have chosen 14 of the best presentations, 7 hours of amazing knowledge. FREE, as always. Watch & share. Earn the Certificate. gpenalosa.ca/masterclass/

Cities Connecting Children to Nature How can we ensure that every young child grows up healthy, resilient and ready to learn? Expanding equitable access to nature for children 0 - 5. More green & less screen. By Vera Feeny, C&NN, NLC Great tool, FREE: bit.ly/49nklJu

Spain's Queen Letizia's call to action at XVI Conf. Nutrition, Physical Activity, Obesity: • Low income children have twice obesity rates than upper income • Are more exposed to ultra-processed food • UPF a systemic threat to Public Health • School's healthy meals must be priority bit.ly/3MDHX3R

How to communicate programs & events without spending much $$$? Create a 'happening'. What? An event that will attract free media coverage before, during... THE BENTWAY, Toronto's great park under a highway (yes!) is inviting brave Torontonians to strip down to their skivvies!

COMMUNITY: Singing, Dancing, Dining Their Way Out of LONELINESS. Programs, programs, & more group programs! Everywhere. • Breaking the cycle of social isolation • Encouraging social connection • Boosting interpersonal trust • Supporting civic engagement Reimagining the Civic Commons: bit.ly/4jbVZWC

PARKS & REC • TOP TRENDS 2026 •Girl’s Flag Football •Pickleball (Taking over tennis) •Dog Parks, Higher Standard •Olders Playing: Healthier & Happier NRPA: bit.ly/3Yyi1cn

A new, hot, urban normal. 5 actions for cities: 1. Stop cities from absorbing so much heat 2. Plant smarter — not just more 3. Treat climate shelters as a city-wide network 4. Break down silos — must be managed holistically 5. Put thermal justice at the center Anteverti: bit.ly/4q8oiHq

Free • From UNICEF: PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM UNHEALTHY FOOD MARKETING A Toolkit for Developing Effective Laws. Stop blah blah blah & act: Pass & enforce laws to protect CHILDREN from Unhealthy Food Marketing. Make healthy living the easy choice. bit.ly/44x5Q33

Connection: Unlocking Canada’s Most Valuable Waterfront. Very good doc from TO Board of Trade My take: The GOOD • People leading it • Waterfront TO • Walk & Bike The BAD • Island airport The UGLY - Billion$ public $$ wasted • Elevated Gardiner Hwy • ON Place SPA (Future Casino). bit.ly/3KzrcWU

Common sense. The least common of the senses. Otherwise: • Max speed in all neighborhood streets would be 30 Kph/20 mph max. Life or death! • Height limit on cars; tax them if higher as each 10cm increases prob. killing. Great info from Sara Stace, Sydney, AU, Better Streets.

If we improve the beginning, we'll improve their lives. Making nutrition & physical activity the easy choice. Healthier children will be healthier teens, adults. A future where fewer people are living with chronic diseases as obesity, heart disease, diabetes. Grateful to support C4BH. bit.ly/4ak97qe

Strong Mayoral Powers in Ontario. Less than 1/2 have used them. 1/4 delegated all their powers to council or city manager / CAO. Why? Many have no idea what they want for their cities. They just want 'to be mayors', not 'to do as mayors'. Mayors should use all legal tools to DO. Now. No excuses!

Over 1000 millions (1 Billion) people live in slums. More than 1/3 are children. In our first 48 months, 0 - 4 years, most of our brains are formed, bones, muscles, cognitive thinking... the potential for the rest of our lives. If we improve their beginning, we improve lives. #Cities4Children

$5 Billion Atlanta Toll Lane Project Moves Ahead. Funded by private group that will collect tolls 50 years. Questions: • Should projects be done mainly because 'taxpayers won’t be on the hook for financing'? • How to make sure it's best public interest? Planetizen: bit.ly/3MNJyE5

Back to office. Canada must be productive, to be competitive. Most North American large corporations are back to office. Why? Productivity. Cost of offices is less than lower efficiency. Same for governments, all levels. Mentoring, eyes on each other, collaborations. Flex time ends congestion.