What are the Environmental Benefits and Challenges of Urbanization ?

Question

What are the Environmental Benefits and Challenges of Urbanization ?

Answer 1

Benefits:

Vertical development allows for a smaller area of land to be used to perform the same functions.

Apartment living uses less materials for construction (shared walls, roof, etc.).

A good urban design will make all the goods and services available to the residents by foot or mass transit.

Disadvantages:

A phenomenon called urban heat island. Cities are a few degrees warmer than their cities.

Air and water pollution.

Duplicity of goods and services - since everything is available in an immediate neighborhood there may be redundancy.

Answer 2

It depends. If urbanization follows good principles of planning and zoning, along with proper facilities for handling waste disposal and potential pollution, an urban environment can have minimal negative impact on the environment.  On the other hand, carried out poorly and it is themost devastating source of environmental damage there is.  Mostly (in the US) it's been done very poorly--and the negative effects extend beyond environmental impact.

The benefits (very briefly--this is a field of study that has a large literature--most of which is totally ignored by policy makers, sadly enough):

>Compact and well planned urban spaces with good mass transit and people friendly spaces (sidewalks, bike lanes, etc) minimize the need for automobiles. This drastically reduces the use of gasoline. It also has other benefits: reducced transportation costs, shorter commuting times, and a far better social environment. Good urban space management creates green space that encourages social interaction, community activities--and avoids isolating people who stay at home a lot (the elderly, housewives, persons with disabilities). You can have close in urban spaces for residential areas that are not jammed in (I know, I live in one).  Besides the savings on energy, you also see greatly reduced water demand for two reasons. First, the exteme demand for water for suburban lawns (commonly half of large US cities' water use in the summer) is slashed--and land that remains forested or otherwise with vegetation retains and stores water better.

The challenge:

Primarily political. We know how to create and manage quality, low-environmental impact urban spaces.  However, while these are in the interests of consumers for purely economic and social reasons, and ultimately benefit legitimate businesses as well, good urban policy precludes the use of unrestricted development as a cash cow for irresponsible developers and politicians. In the United States, the challenge is to dislodge these special interests and implement good urban planning and environmental policies that will encourage, rather than discourage, solid business growth. As it is, the cities are dying--with the interests of both business and citizens being sacrificed for the sake of enriching developers and their political friends.

How to go about doing this?  There's two approaches. One is for citizens to get involved at the local level--that is where this must change. It's not a "federal" problem--even though its national. Development and re-development has to start following rational principles--not simply stripping mile after mile of suburban land for more malls, roads, and subdivisions that don't even have sidewalks or playgrounds half the time. Visit one of the "revitalizing" neighborhoods tha tare slowly beginning to appear in many American cities. You'll see shopping districts where people can walk, congregate, and often do not even need a car. Example (my own): I live in an apartment complex, but it's next to a compact neighborhood of hoes. The streets are lined with trees, there is space for children to play, and sidewalks tha tconnect everything. I am fie minutes --walking--from one shopping distrct with virtually anything I need. In another direction, a 10 -minute walk  takes me to another shoping center with restaurants, two theatres (Imean real theatres, not movies), etc.  The subway is also less than 5 minutes away by foot. The rent is about the same as in a suburban apartetnt complex--and the crime rate is LOWER.  Does it surprise you that I don't even own (or want) a car?  In a urban space that is designed for people, rather than automobiles, you don't need to spend $6-10,000 a year to buy and maintain a car.   Eventually, I may get one--but I have hopes tha telectrics will be available by the time that happens.

The businesses here thrive (as I said, this is a revitalized neighborhood--most of downtown Atlanta is still a business dead zone). But the busiesses here do higher voumes of trade than comparable suburban locations.  

In short-people are beginning to discover that the  supposed advantages of suburbia are an illusion manufactured by short-sighted politicians and self-interested devleopers.  The only things e don't have here are lawns thatare too large to care for properly and traffic that is a deadly menace if you try to walk down to the corner to pickup a loaf of bread--if thee WERE a corner store in Aerican suburbs, that is. Mostly there isn't. Environmentally, the type o furban space I'm describing is practically utopian's--minimal energy use, water use (and some other benefits) flow naturally from the way the urban space is structured.

As I said--we KNOW HOW to do this .  What we need is the will to do it as citizens of our cities.

I said the ere was another alternative: just do nothing. If we wait a few more years, declining availability fo water, rising energy prices, and continued environmental destruction will force us to act whether we like it or not.  We will see cities within 10 years in the US where even water for bathing is rationed  and government approval is needed to drive a car to work. Spiraling food prices ans agriculture struggles to keep ahead of climate change. People will start living in more compact areas by law, not by choice--to conserve dwindling water and enrgy sources.

Take your pick: good urban design, alternative enrgy--or aloss of economic prosperity and individual freedom. Don't kid yurself--that is the choice we fae within our lifetimes.