CHAPTER 22 SUSTAINABLE CITIES

DEFINITIONS  Urban (metropolitan) area = town plus its suburbs  City = large number of people with a variety of professions who depend on resources from the outside of city boundary  Rural area = an area with a population less than 2,500 people  Village = group of rural households liked by custom, culture,family ties. Historical utilization of natural resources

URBANIZATION & URBAN GROWTH  Degree of urbanization is percentage of population living in area of greater than 2,500 people  Urban growth due to:  natural increase - births  immigration - poor are pulled to urban areas or are pushed from rural areas  Trends of urban growth:  Increase of 2% to 45% of people in urban areas since 1950  By 2050 about 66% of the world’s people will be living in urban areas.

URBANIZATION & URBAN GROWTH  The number of large cities is mushrooming  Today, more than 400 cities have over 1 mil. or more people.  18 megacities with over 10 mil. People i.e.Tokyo (26 mil), Mexico City (18 mil), New York (17 mil).  4 Hypercities (more than 20 million people)- Mumbai(India), Lagos(Nigeria), Dakha(Bangladesh) Sao Paulo(Brazil)  2009 :38% of the people in live in cities.  2025 it will be 54%.  Many of these cities are already short on water, have waste & pollution problems.

URBANIZATION & URBAN GROWTH  Urban growth is slower in developed countries  75% of the people live in cities. But by 2030 it will be 81%.  Poverty is becoming increasingly urbanized  slums, squatter settlements and shantytowns  at least 1 billion people live in crowed slums of inner cities. No access to water, sewer, electricity, education etc. 100 mil people are homeless & sleep on the streets  Case study - Mexico City

MEXICO CITY  The world’s second largest city with 18 million people or one in five Mexicans  severe air pollution (over 4 million cars) within a valley that causes an estimated 100,000 premature deaths/year  high unemployment rate, close to 50%  high crime rate  over one-third (6 million) of its residents live in slums (barrios) without running water, sewer (but running sewage), or electricity  high infection rates i.e. salmonella, hepatitis

UNITED STATES URBANIZATION = 5%-79%  Migration from rural areas  Migration to developed rural areas  Large central cities to suburbs  North east to South and West  Urban sprawl, growth of low-density development on the edge of cities. Encouraged by: - availability of cheap land, (forests, agriculture fields etc.). - government loans guarantees for new single-family homes - government & state funding of highways - low-cost gasoline encourage car use - low interest mortgage

75% of the US population live in urban areas occupying 3% of the country’s land area

URBAN SPRAWL: GROWTH OF LOW DENSITY HOUSING  availability of cheap land  government loans for new single family homes  government and state funding of highways  low cost gasoline  tax laws encourage home ownership  multiple political jurisdictions which do not work together to control urban growth

MAJOR SPATIAL PATTERNS  Concentric Circle City such as New York  Sector City is the large urban area extending from San Francisco to San Jose, CA  Multiple Nuclei City is Los Angeles  Megalopolis is when separate cities join such as the Bowash

CONCENTRIC CIRCLE MODEL 1. Central business district (CBD) 2. Deteriorating transition zone 3. Worker’s homes 4. Middle-class suburbs 5. Commuter's zone

SECTOR MODEL 1. High-rent residential 2. Intermediate-rent residential 3. Low-rent residential 4. Education and recreation 5. Transportation 6. Industrial 7. Core (CBD)

MULTIPLE-NUCLEI MODEL 1. CBD 2. Wholesale, light manufacturing 3. Low-rent residential 4. Intermediate-rent residential 5. High-rent residential 6. Heavy manufacturing 7. Outlying business district 8. Residential Suburb 9. Industrial Suburb

MAJOR URBAN PROBLEMS IN U.S.  Deteriorating services  Aging infrastructures  Budget crunches from lost tax revenues as businesses and affluent people leave  Rising poverty with violence, drugs, decay  Urban sprawl - growth of low-density development on edges of cities and towns  9 consequences of “bad growth”

ADVANTAGES OF URBANIZATION  recycling more economically feasible  decreased birth rates reduces environmental pressures  per capita expenditures on environmental protection high in urban areas  population concentration impacts biodiversity less

DISADVANTAGES OF URBANIZATION  Destruction of plant life - what is $ value?  Cities produce little of own food  Urban heat island effect --> dust dome  Huge ecological footprint  Water supply and flooding problems  5 ways to reduce demand on reservoirs and waste treatment systems  High pollution exposure  Noise pollution

The enormous amount of heat generated creates an urban heat island Additional heat changes climate of surrounding area

URBAN RESOURCE & ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS  Excessive noise exposure  health effects  Hearing loss, hypertension, muscle tension, migraines, headaches, higher cholesterol levels, gastric ulcers, irritability, insomnia, psychological disorders, aggression

Impacts of Urban Sprawl Land and Biodiversity Loss of cropland Loss of forests & grasslands Loss of wetlands Loss & fragmentation of wildlife habitats Increased wildlife road kill Increased soil erosion Human Health and Aesthetics Contaminated drinking water & air Noise pollution Sky illumination at night Traffic congestion Water Increased runoff Increased surface water & groundwater pollution Increased use of surface water & groundwater Decreased storage of Surface water & groundwater Increased flooding Decreased natural Sewage treatment

Impacts of Urban Sprawl Energy, Air, and Climate Increased energy use and waste Increased air pollution Increased greenhouse gas Emissions Enhanced global warming Warmer microclimate (heat island effect) Economic Effects Higher taxes Decline of downtown business districts Increased unemployment in central city Loss of tax base in central city

TRANSPORTATION AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT  Determines where people live, where they go to work and buy stuff, how much land is paved and exposure to air pollution  Cities grow up if they can’t grow out; more prone to use mass transit  Urban sprawl due to cheap gas and land and highways; dispersed car-centered cities use 10x more energy

Drive alone 80% Other 4% Public transit 5% Car pool 11% MOTOR VEHICLE CONCENTRATION  Ground transportation: individual (cars, etc) and mass (buses and rail)  U.S. has 35% of cars and trucks used for 98% of all urban transportation  Motor scooters - effort to change to electric  Riding bicycles; less pollution and dangerous and more efficient than walking  bicycles available for public use  bike and ride systems

ROBERT SAMUELSON……..  Cars expand to fill available concrete

REDUCING AUTOMOBILE USE  user-pays approach  full cost pricing - $12.00

PROS AND CONS OF MASS TRANSIT  3% mass transit use in U.S. to 47% in Japan  20% gasoline tax revenues to mass transit  Rapid rail, suburban trains and trolley - efficient at high population density  High speed rail lines – replace planes, buses and private cars; but require large government subsidies  Bus systems more flexible than rail systems but efficient when full

SMART GROWTH TOOLS FOR CITIES  Regulations  Zoning  Planning Protection  Taxes  Tax Break  Revitalization

International Development Days Vancouver, BC October 2 – 4, 2002 Maureen C. Shaw Industrial Accident Prevention Association October 3, Website:

To improve the quality of life in workplaces and communities we serve by being an internationally recognized leader in providing effective programs, products and services for the prevention of injury and illness. "A World where risks are controlled because everyone believes suffering and loss are morally, socially and economically unacceptable."

Essential Components of Sustainable Cities Environmental Integrity living within ecological limits protecting natural resources responsible consumption patterns; re-use & recycling measurable carrying capacity indicators Quality of Life diversity cooperation health education communication compassion efficient, affordable, accessible transportation linking jobs to housing and communities honouring culture pluralism and tolerance Economic Security local, regional economic viability opportunities for employment economic justice/equity reduce gap between rich and poor economic security appropriate technology and economics long term view not short term gains Democratic Participation communication, education, information, collaboration all stakeholders represented and involved power from within the community belief in the possibility of change democracy accountability personal dignity grassroots organizations Source Dr. Warren Flint Five E’s Unlimited

Traditional Corporate Responsibilities Ensuring Health, Safety, Wellness & Security of Employees Management of Natural Resources  Conservation Minimizing Waste  Recycling Minimizing Pollution Compliance with Regulations & Legislation Based on European Sustainable Cities Report

Corporate Community & Workplace Leadership Imperatives Sharing Best Practices  Mentoring Concern for Individuals Colleagues & Neighbours Social Responsibility to Community & Workplace Activities Support of Cultural Heritage Political Influence Locally Nationally Maureen C. Shaw - IAPA

 Data Collection  Measurement  Evaluation Hospitals Local, Provincial and National Government Recreational Safety Traffic Safety Fire Safety Farm Safety Special Needs Groups Fire Fighters Childhood Safety Government Insurance Safety Assns. Workplace Safety Police Service Clubs Health Units NGO’s Pain/Grief Financial Costs Injuries boating snowmobiling swimming Source: M. Shaw, IAPA Carol Eamer Universities Colleges International Partners Small & Medium Enterprises

Closing Thoughts….Cities contain many Communities  In our globalized economies, if we are to be successful in business and as a society we must, above all else, care for people. Human sustainability must be the core of what we do.  Healthy, safe and environmentally sound workplaces are integral to successfully achieving sustainable cities.  We need to collaborate, communicate and coordinate our knowledge, experience and resources toward this shared goal. The Safe Community model and its experience is transferable as well as transformational.