Sustainable Cities Chapter 22 “Most cities are places where they cut down the trees and name the streets after them.” Evolution of Cities and Urbanization

Core Case Study: The Ecocity Concept in Curitiba, Brazil  Ecocity, green city: Curitiba, Brazil  Bus system: cars banned in certain areas  Housing and industrial parks  Recycling of materials  Helping the poor  New challenges

Half of the World’s People Live in Urban Areas  Urbanization – percentage of population living in an urban area - increasing!!!  2 ways to grow - 1. Natural increase 2. Immigration from rural areas Pushed from rural areas to urban areas Poverty, lack of land, declining ag. Jobs, famine, etc Pulled to urban areas from rural areas Search of housing, food, better life, etc.

Four Major Trends in Urban Growth 1. Proportion of global population living in urban areas is increasing – about 52% 2. Number and size of urban areas is mushrooming Megacities (10 million or more people) 3. Urban growth slower in developed countries and faster in developing countries 4. Poverty is becoming increasingly urbanized; mostly in developing countries

Global Outlook: Satellite Image of Major Urban Areas Throughout the World

Case Study: Urbanization in the United States  Four phases between 1800 and 2008: 1. Migration from rural areas to large central cities 2. Migration from large central cities to suburbs and smaller cities 3. Migration from North and East to South and West

Case Study: Urbanization in the United States  Environmental problems decreasing (better sanitation, public water supplies, protect country’s biodiversity, better working and housing conditions, air & water quality improved)  Older cities Deteriorating services Aging infrastructures

Major Urban Areas in the United States Revealed by Satellite Images at Night

Urban Sprawl Gobbles Up the Countryside  Urban sprawl - the growth of low-density development edges of cities and towns  Contributing factors to urban sprawl in the U.S. Ample land Federal government loans Low-cost gasoline; highways Tax laws encouraged home ownership State and local zoning laws Poor urban planning

Urban Sprawl in and around the U.S. City of Las Vegas, Nevada, from 1973 to 2000

Urban Sprawl

Natural Capital Degradation: Urban Sprawl

U.S. Megalopolis of Bowash

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Cities? AdvantagesDisadvantages Preserve biodiversityLarge ecological footprint Centers of economic development, innovation, jobs, etc. Lack of vegetation Better access to family planning, health care, etc. Urban Heat Islands Improved recyclingPollution and Health problems Live where you work, decreased dependence on car, decreased emissions Excessive Noise More compact – up, not outWater Problems

How can we build more sustainable cities?  Smart growth: Reduces dependence on cars Controls and directs sprawl Cuts wasteful resource  U.S. cities Portland, OR San Francisco, CA  Curitiba, Brazil  Europe: compact cities

Trade-Offs: Bicycles, Advantages and Disadvantages

Trade-Offs: Mass Transit Rail, Advantages and Disadvantages

Trade-Offs: Buses, Advantages and Disadvantages

Trade-Offs: Rapid Rail, Advantages and Disadvantages

Conventional Land-Use Planning  Land-use planning Encourages future population growth Economic development Revenues: property taxes Environmental and social consequences  Zoning –various parcels of land are designated for certain uses Mixed-use zoning

Preserving and Using Open Space  Urban growth boundary U.S. states: Washington, Oregon, and Tennessee  Municipal parks U.S. cities: New York City and San Francisco  Greenbelts Canadian cities: Vancouver and Toronto Western European cities

Central Park, New York City, USA

How Can Cities Become More Sustainable and Livable?  An ecocity allows people to: choose walking, biking, or mass transit for most transportation needs; recycle or reuse most of their wastes; grow much of their food; and protect biodiversity by preserving surrounding land.

The Ecocity Concept: Cities for People Not Cars  Ecocities or green cities Build and redesign for people Use renewable energy resources Recycle and purify water Use energy and matter resources efficiently Prevent pollution and reduce waste Recycle, reuse and compost municipal waste Protect and support biodiversity Urban gardens; farmers markets Zoning and other tools for sustainability

New Urbanism Is Growing  Conventional housing development  Cluster development  New urbanism, old villageism Walkability Mixed-use and diversity Quality urban design Environmental sustainability Smart transportation