Environment

Urbanization

Lecture 8

More Than Half of the World’s People Live in Urban Areas

” Urbanization ” Creation and growth of urban and suburban

areas  55% of people live in such areas

” Urban growth ” Rate of increase of urban populations ” Immigration from rural areas

” Pushed from rural areas to urban areas

” Pulled to urban areas from rural areas

Three Major Urban Trends

” Three major trends ” Proportion of global population living in urban areas is

increasing

” Number and sizes of urban areas are increasing ” Megacities: more than 10 million residents

” Hypercities: more than 20 million residents

” Poverty is becoming increasingly urbanized ” Mostly in less-developed countries

Three Major Urban Trends

Urbanization in the United States

” Three phases between 1800 and 2015

” Migration from rural areas to large central cities

” Migration from large central cities to suburbs and smaller cities

” Migration from North and East to South and West

” Aging infrastructure

” Deteriorating services

Urban Sprawl

” Urban sprawl

” Low-density development on the edges of cities and towns

” Contributing factors to U.S. urban sprawl

” Abundant, affordable land

” Automobiles

” Federal and state funding of highways

” Inadequate urban planning

Urban Sprawl

” Suburban sprawl destroys forests, wetlands, and cropland

” Forces people to drive almost everywhere

” Contributed to economic deaths of many central cities

Urbanization Has Advantages

” Cities ” Centers of economic development,

innovation, education, technological advances, social and cultural diversity, and jobs

” Better medical care than rural areas ” Recycling economically feasible ” Reduce stress on wildlife habitats ” Mass transportation typically available

Urbanization Has Disadvantages

” Large ecological footprints ”Consume 75% of the world’s resources

” Lack of vegetation ” Water problems

”Runoff, flooding, wetland degradation ” Pollution and health problems

”Air and water pollution ”Solid and hazardous wastes

Urbanization Has Disadvantages

” Excessive noise ” Noise pollution impairs or interferes with

hearing, and causes stress and accidents

” Local climate effects and light pollution ” Cities tend to be warmer, rainier, foggier, and

cloudier than rural areas ” Urban heat island ” Artificial light has affected some species

(disorientation, natural behavior, higher predation levels, disrupts light sensitive cycles, higher mortality rates).

Poverty and Urban Living

” Slums ” Areas dominated by dilapidated housing ” Squatter settlements and shantytowns  Scavenged materials, on unoccupied land

without the owner’s permission

” Terrible living conditions  Lack basic water and sanitation  High levels of pollution

Cities Can Grow Outward or Upward

” Compact cities ” Hong Kong, China

” Tokyo, Japan

” Mass transit

” Dispersed cities ” The United States and Canada

” Car-centered cities

Pros and Cons of Motor Vehicles

” Advantages ” Mobility and convenience

” Provides jobs

” Production and repair of vehicles

” Supplying fuel

” Building roads

Pros and Cons of Motor Vehicles

” Disadvantages ” Accidents kill 1.25 million people per

year globally and injure another 50 million

” Kill 50 million wild animals and pets per year

” Largest source of outdoor air pollution

” Helped create urban sprawl and car commuter culture

” Traffic congestion

Reducing Automobile Use

” Full-cost pricing–environmental gas tax ” Consumer education

” Funds for mass transit and bike lanes

” Opposition from car owners and industry

” Raise parking fees

” Charge tolls on roads, tunnels, and bridges

” Car-sharing networks

Alternatives to Cars

” Foot power ” Bicycles ” Buses ” Heavy-rail systems

” Subways, elevated rail, and metro trains

” Light-rail systems ” Streetcars, trolleys, and tramways

” Rapid-rail system between urban areas

Conventional Land-Use Planning

” Land-use planning ”Governments control uses of certain parcels of land by legal and

economic methods ” Zoning

”Land designated for certain uses ”Mixed-use zoning

Smart Growth

” Set of policies and tools that encourage environmentally sustainable development

” Uses zoning laws to channel growth and reduce ecological footprint

” Reduces dependence on cars ” Discourages sprawl ” Many European countries

” High taxes on heating fuel and gasoline encourages compact cities

Preserving and Using Open Space ” Urban growth boundary

” U.S. states: Washington, Oregon, and Tennessee

” Greenbelts ” Canadian cities: Vancouver and

Toronto

” Western European cities

” Municipal parks ” U.S. cities: New York City and San

Francisco

New Urbanism

” Conventional housing development ” Rows of houses on standard-size lots

” Cluster development ” Mixed housing types and green space

” New urbanism: environmental sustainability ” Walkable, bike friendly neighborhoods ” Mixed use and diversity ” Quality urban design; smart transportation ” Sense of community

The Eco-City Concept: Cities for People, Not Cars

” Eco-city (or green city) ” New model for urban development

” People-oriented, not car-oriented

” Walk, bike, or use mass transit

” High percentage of MSW reused, recycled, or composted

” Tree planting

” Vertical farms

” Environmental justice

The Eco-City Concept in Curitiba, Brazil

” Ecological capital of Brazil

” Superb bus rapid-transit system ” 85% of the city’s commuters

” Streams and parks

” Recycling programs

” Care for the poor

” High literacy rate

” Population increased fivefold since 1965

Eco-Villages

” 50–150 people come together to design and live in more ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable villages in rural and suburban areas ” Solar and wind power

” Energy-efficient housing

” Organic farming

” 2014: more than 400 eco-villages in over 70 countries