Sustainable CitiesSustainable CitiesG. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment 14th Edition14th Edition

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Shohail Motahir ChoudhuryShohail Motahir Choudhury

Why urban areas are attracting more and more people? Why urban areas are attracting more and more people?

1.1. About one half of the world’s people live in About one half of the world’s people live in cities/densely populated urban areas, drawn there cities/densely populated urban areas, drawn there for for better jobsbetter jobs and a and a better lifebetter life..

2.2. Cities provide jobs, food, housing, a better life, Cities provide jobs, food, housing, a better life, entertainment, and entertainment, and freedom fromfreedom from the religious, the religious, racial, and political racial, and political conflicts of village lifeconflicts of village life..

3.3. People are pushed to cities by poverty, no land, People are pushed to cities by poverty, no land, declining work, famine, and war. Developing into declining work, famine, and war. Developing into centers of povertycenters of poverty..

Urbanization and Urban GrowthUrbanization and Urban Growth

Los Angeles13.3 million14.5 million

Mexico City18.3 million20.4 million Sao Paulo

18.3 million21.2 million

Buenos Aires12.1 million13.2 million

New York16.8 million17.9 million

Cairo10.5 million11.5 million

Lagos12.2 million24.4 million

Key• 2001(estimated)• 2015 (projected)

Mumbai(Bombay)16.5 million22.6 million

Karachi10.4 million16.2 million

Dhaka13.2 million22.8 million

Calcutta13.3 million16.7 million

Jakarta11.4 million17.3 million

Beijing10.8 million11.7 million

Tokyo26.5 million27.2 million

Shanghai12.8 million13.6 million

Osaka11.0 million11.0 million

Manila10.1 million11.5 million

Cities at nightCities at night

Figure 25-4aP

age 566

19501950 19701970 19901990 20102010 20302030

YearYear

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1.51.5

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Po

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DevelopingDevelopingCountriesCountries

Developed CountriesDeveloped Countries

Projections

1.1. Most huge urban areas are in developing Most huge urban areas are in developing countries.countries.

2.2. The number of large cities (a million or more The number of large cities (a million or more people) is increasing rapidly.people) is increasing rapidly.

a.a. Megacities or megalopolises contain 10 Megacities or megalopolises contain 10 million+ people.million+ people.

b.b. A megalopolis is a merger of a city (or cities) A megalopolis is a merger of a city (or cities) and adjacent urban areas; and adjacent urban areas;

Two such areas are Bowash (Boston–Washington) and Two such areas are Bowash (Boston–Washington) and Chipitts (Chicago–Pittsburgh).Chipitts (Chicago–Pittsburgh).

Urban trends that affect urban growthUrban trends that affect urban growth

BostonSpringfield

Hartford

Providence

Newark

Allentown

HarrisburgNew York

PhiladelphiaBaltimore

Washington

Detroit ClevelandPittsburgh

ToledoAkronChicago

Chipitts (Chicago to Pittsburgh)Chipitts (Chicago to Pittsburgh)

Bowash (Boston toBowash (Boston toWashington)Washington)

Discussion: Discussion:

Air and water qualityAir and water qualityCity servicesCity services Older citiesOlder cities ? ?Poverty in citiesPoverty in cities ? ?

Urban life’s quality in AmericaUrban life’s quality in America

UnemploymentUnemployment

1.1. Low-density development is growing and encouraging Low-density development is growing and encouraging dependence on cars.dependence on cars.

2.2. Sprawl is a byproduct of affordable land, cars, poor Sprawl is a byproduct of affordable land, cars, poor urban planning, and cheap gas.urban planning, and cheap gas.

What is the Problem?What is the Problem?

Problems caused have been decreased energy efficiency; Problems caused have been decreased energy efficiency; increased urban floodingincreased urban flooding; destruction of cropland, ; destruction of cropland, forest, and open space; and longer travel timeforest, and open space; and longer travel time..

Urban sprawlUrban sprawl

Impacts of Urban SprawlImpacts of Urban Sprawl

Urban Resource and Environmental ProblemsUrban Resource and Environmental ProblemsUrban Resource and Environmental ProblemsUrban Resource and Environmental Problems

Air and water pollution; waste managementAir and water pollution; waste management

Reduction in vegetationReduction in vegetation

Importation of food, energy, and materialsImportation of food, energy, and materials

Noise pollution Noise pollution

Climate impacts: urban heat islandsClimate impacts: urban heat islands

Impacts on surrounding rural areasImpacts on surrounding rural areas

InputsInputs OutputsOutputs

EnergyEnergy

FoodFood

WaterWater

RawRawmaterialsmaterials

ManufacturedManufacturedgoodsgoods

MoneyMoney

InformationInformation

Solid wastesSolid wastes

Waste heatWaste heat

Air pollutantsAir pollutants

Water pollutantsWater pollutants

Greenhouse gasesGreenhouse gases

Manufactured goodsManufactured goods

NoiseNoise

WealthWealth

IdeasIdeas

Slums

Squatter settlements

Shantytowns

Illegal settlements

Poverty and unemployment

Urban Poor in Developing CountriesUrban Poor in Developing Countries

Transportation and Urban DevelopmentTransportation and Urban Development

Individual transitIndividual transit

Mass transitMass transit

Buses Buses

TrainsTrains

AutomobilesAutomobiles

Advantages DisadvantagesMore flexiblethan rail system

Can be reroutedas needed

Cost less todevelop andmaintain thanheavy-railsystem

Can greatlyreduce car useand pollution

Can lose moneybecause theyneed low faresto attract riders

Often get caughtin traffic unlessoperating inexpress lanes

Commit ridersto transportationschedules

Noisy

Buses

Trade-Offs

Advantages Disadvantages

Urban Land-Use Planning and ControlUrban Land-Use Planning and ControlUrban Land-Use Planning and ControlUrban Land-Use Planning and Control

Land-use planningLand-use planning

Property taxesProperty taxes

Zoning Zoning

Smart growthSmart growth

Urban growth boundaryUrban growth boundary

Cluster developmentCluster development

Greenbelts Greenbelts

Limits and Regulations

• Limit building permits

• Urban growth boundaries

• Green belts around cities

• Public review of new development

Zoning

• Encourage mixed use

• Concentrate development along mass transportation routes

• Promote high-density cluster housing developments

Planning

• Ecological land-use planning

• Environmental impact analysis

• Integrated regional planning

• State and national planning

Protection• Preserve existing open space

• Buy new open space

• Buy development rights that prohibit certain types of development on land parcels

Taxes• Tax land, not buildings

• Tax land on value of actual use (such as forest and agriculture) instead of highest value as developed land

Tax Breaks• For owners agreeing legally to not allow certain

types of development (conservation easements)

• For cleaning up and developing abandoned urban sites (brownfields)

Revitalization and New Growth

• Revitalize existing towns and cities

• Build well-planned new towns and villages

within cities

Smart Growth Tools

Solutions

MajorMajorhighwayshighways

GreenbeltGreenbelt Urban centerUrban center Satellite townsSatellite towns

UndevelopedUndevelopedlandland

MarshMarsh

CreekCreek

Figure 25-18bP

age 579

Typical housingTypical housingdevelopmentdevelopment

Cluster housingCluster housingdevelopmentdevelopment

ClusterCluster

CreekCreek

PondPond

ClusterCluster

Ecocities Ecocities are people-oriented, preserve biodiversity, and are people-oriented, preserve biodiversity, and emit low pollution.emit low pollution.

1.1. High energy-efficient Buildings, vehicles, and High energy-efficient Buildings, vehicles, and appliances meet appliances meet

2.2. Native trees for noise buffers, pollution reduction, and Native trees for noise buffers, pollution reduction, and animal sanctuaries.animal sanctuaries.

3.3. Urban sprawl is not allowed to gobble up. Urban sprawl is not allowed to gobble up. 4.4. Food is raised in the city in community gardens, Food is raised in the city in community gardens,

garden rooftops and and solar greenhouses.garden rooftops and and solar greenhouses.

There are ecocities all over the world: Waitakere City in There are ecocities all over the world: Waitakere City in New Zealand, Leicester in England, Portland in New Zealand, Leicester in England, Portland in Oregon, and Chattanooga in Tennessee.Oregon, and Chattanooga in Tennessee.

Making Urban Areas More Livable and SustainableMaking Urban Areas More Livable and Sustainable

Chattanooga, Tennessee, is one of the United States most Chattanooga, Tennessee, is one of the United States most sustainable and livable cites.sustainable and livable cites.

1.1. In the 1950s, Chattanooga was an In the 1950s, Chattanooga was an industrial wasteland industrial wasteland with highly polluted air and toxic water.with highly polluted air and toxic water.

2.2. Local officials and citizens transformed Chattanooga Local officials and citizens transformed Chattanooga into a beautiful city with zero-emission industry, into a beautiful city with zero-emission industry, zero-emission electric buses,zero-emission electric buses, satellite parking with bus service, satellite parking with bus service, extensive recycling programs, extensive recycling programs, and new tourist attractions.and new tourist attractions.

Example of a good cityExample of a good city

Water Resources, Pollution and Water Resources, Pollution and its Preventionits Prevention

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Chapter 22