Chapter 22Section 1- Urbanization and Urban Growth

Urban and Rural Areas

• Urban or metropolitan area– Town and its adjacent suburbs

• Rural area– Area with population over 2,500 people

• Village– Rural homes linked together by culture and

surviving off of local natural resources• City– Larger group of people that depend on

resources from other areas

Urban Growth

• Natural increase- more births than deaths• Immigration– Rural to urban areas• Poverty• Lack of land• Declining agriculture jobs• Famine• War

Patterns of Urban Growth Today

Population living in urban areas is increasing

Number of large cities is mushrooming

Urbanization and urban population are increasing rapidly in developing countries

Poverty is becoming urbanized in developing countries

Major Urban Problems in US

Many urban environmental problems in US reduced since 1920

People have better working and living conditions

Better air and water quality

Better sanitation, public water supplies, and medical care lowered death rates

By having most of the population in urban areas, we are able to protect the country’s biodiversity

Major Urban Problems in US (cont.)

Cities have deteriorating services

Aging infrastructure

Rising poverty

Urban sprawl Ample land for expansion

Federal and state funding for highways

Low-cost gas

22.4 How Important is Urban Land Use Planning

Terms: land-use planning, zoning

• All development needs some planning for future growth – but often plans focus on cost and lead to uncontrolled urban sprawl and economic problems.

• Property tax laws encourage using tools like zoning to increase profit rather than to create mixed areas (with housing, businesses etc) or preserve natural land

Conventional Land Use Planning

Smart Growth Can Work

Terms: smart growth, conservation easements, brown fields

• With the right rules and regulations, our cities and towns can grow while also becoming more sustainable and reducing air pollution within congested cities

• Can actually provide MORE jobs and economic growth than conventional land use planning

• Example: Portland, Oregon

Preserving and Using Open Space

Terms: urban growth boundaries, greenbelts

• Open space within and connected to cities with urban growth boundaries, greenbelts and municipal parks

22.5 How Can Cities become more

sustainable and livable

New Urbanism is Growing

Terms: cluster development

• Principles of New Urbanism: Walkability: 10 minutesMixed-use and diversity: variety of buildings and people Quality urban design: aestheticsSmart Transportation: mass transit

The Ecocity Concept: Cities for People Not Cars• The problem isn’t urban growth but rather

failure to make cities more sustainable and livable

• Basic idea: Efficiency standards, local products, renewable energy, preserve nature

• Fit the goals of new urbanism, but go beyond that

• Dongtan, China: Goals• First carbon neutral city• Community of 80,000 by 2020• Ecological footprint half that of

comparable cities• “urban laboratories to experiment”

The Ecovillage Movement is Growing

Terms: ecovillage Movement• Small groups are coming together, using a

variety to methods to make pockets of sustainability – even within large and unsustainable cities

http://laecovillage.org/

Living in Cities

Awesome because:

Centers for commerce, industry, and transportation

People in cities have longer life spans

Recycling is easier because materials are highly concentrated

Takes small amount of land so disturbs little biodiversity

Cities are also terrible High Ecological Footprints

Area disturbed not just physical space occupied

Removes people from nature

Will not be passionate enough about nature to protect it

No vegetation

No benefits from plants

Absorbing pollutants, Producing oxygen, Providing habitats

Water Issues Large demand but not a lot of water

Take water away from rural areas

Prone to flooding

Destroyed wetlands to build many cities

Dry areas can experience aquifer depletion and droughts

Inputs Outputs

Energy Solid wastes

Food Waste heat

Air pollutantsWater

Water pollutantsRaw materials Greenhouse gases

Manufactured goods

Manufactured goodsNoise

MoneyWealth

Information Ideas

Cities and stuff cont.

Concentrated pollution and Health Risks

Pollutants cannot be dispersed/diluted b/c small area

High CO2 Concentration

Lots of cars

Can disrupt Carbon and Nitrogen cycle

Noise Pollution Cause hearing loss

Can cause stress and accidents

Differing Climate and Light Pollution Heat generated by cities

Artificial light produced

City Spread

Dispersed vs. Concentrated

Dispersed

Most of cities in US

Forces use of more cars

Allows pollutants to be diluted more easily

Concentrated

People can walk or use public transportation more

Higher concentration of pollutants Higher health risks

Automobiles

Why they’re bad

Accidents

CO2 Pollution

Infrastructure takes up a lot of space

Reducing use

Full Cost Pricing

Including environmental impact in the price

Will increase price of gasoline so people will drive less

Government allocate more money to public transportation

Not very available in many major cities

Alternatives Bikes

Better for physical fitness

No pollutants

Cheap

Railway systems

Most cities had light-rail system but got rid of it to promote cars

Rapid rail systems

Trains between urban areas

Can be expensive though

US used to be awesome

Now it sucks because we got rid of all of our light rail systems

Thought the car would be more important