Geog chap 9 Flashcards
How do people get access to electricity, food, water, and space? How does it affect the environment?
Natural resources are extracted and used. The land that housing developments sit on is originally part of the natural environment, which has been repurposed for human use. The resource demands of housing developments lead to negative environmental impacts. It leads to the depletion of forests over-extraction of water resources, and environmental pollution, such as land and water pollution.
Explain the impact of the use of natural resources on the environment.
Land needs to be cleared which results in the depletion of forests to make space for the building of houses. The resources that are used to build homes and tools are also used as fuel for cooking and warmth. These resources are extracted from the environment, from either forest resources or from mining. e.g., wood from forests to build furniture, electricity from burning natural gas, and steel from mining to reinforce homes. Cities also extract water from surface sources. The extraction of resources does not only occur in the areas surrounding the cities but also as far as 30000km away. Therefore, through using natural resources, cities have a significant and wide-ranging impact on the natural environment.
Define the term pollution.
Pollution is defined as the introduction of substances that do not normally belong in the environment, which, in great enough concentrations, can have harmful effects on plants, animals humans.
Explain the pollution cities cause. (land)
land pollution
Land pollution is another term for soil contamination e.g. by factory chemicals, and also means garbage and industrial waste, impact from mining and other forms of industry. It can lead to long-term damage to land, making it unsafe to build houses. Humans produce vast quantities of waste, especially in factories, offices, schools and homes. Many cities build landfills to dispose of waste products while some choose to incinerate their waste products to reduce the space needed for disposal. Leftover material from incineration still needs to be properly managed to avoid pollution. Land pollution can be minimised through proper waste management.
Explain the pollution cities cause. (water)
Surface run-off from the streets of urban areas carries oil, rubber, heavy metals and other contaminants from vehicles. Untreated or poorly treated sewage can be low in dissolved oxygen and high in pollutants such as nitrates and coliform. Treated sewage can still be high in nitrates, as the process of removing them from wastewater is prone to contamination. Groundwater and surface water can be contaminated from various sources e.g. garbage dumps, toxic waste, chemical storage and use areas, leaking fuel storage tanks and the intentional dumping of hazardous substances. Water chemistry in water bodies can also be altered by acid rain, and nitrate and ammonium deposition. Water pollution can be minimised through the usage of natural fertilisers and pesticides instead of chemicals.
Explain the pollution cities cause. (air)
Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels for energy use and production, as well as emissions from industries and motor vehicles, pollute the air. Air pollution is a major environmental risk to health. Many cities monitor outdoor air quality, as it can impact people’s health. Air pollution can be reduced by increasing public transport ridership and encouraging increased use of solar power. By reducing air pollution levels in cities, many respiratory problems can be avoided.
Can you think of some ways to reduce air pollution in cities?
- increase public transport use
- encourage the use of cleaner sources of energy e.g. solar power
Which of the following is/are true about the relationship between housing and forests? You may select more than one option.
- Forests are often cleared for people to obtain surface water for residents to use.
- Forests are often cleared to construct mines, which extract minerals and metals for the construction of houses
- Forests are often cleared to provide land for the development of houses.
- Forests are often cleared to provide materials, such as wood, to make furniture and build houses.
2, 3, 4
How does the quality of housing affect people?
The quality of housing affects people’s physical health and their access to amenities and communities. These can have positive or negative consequences e.g. positive interactions w/ neighbors promote a sense of belonging and security, while hostile living conditions promote fear and unease.
Describe the impact of housing provision of basic needs.
City housing provides people with shelter, which is a basic human need. Formal housing allows access to sanitation, which is essential in improving quality of life. Sanitation reduces the outbreak of diseases and improves one’s overall well-being and health. Formal housing also makes access to water and electricity easier as infrastructure is usually developed with housing projects. e.g. housing provides people with/ sleeping quarters and has infrastructure such as roofing tiles, water tanks beneath the roof, underground sewers, and electrical wiring. They also hold bathrooms and sinks.
Which of the following best describes the levels of sanitation in the different types of housing and its likely impact on the level of physical health of residents?
(A) Formal housing, high levels of sanitation, likely high physical health of residents.
(B) Informal housing, low levels of sanitation, likely high physical health of residents.
(C) Formal housing, low levels of sanitation, likely low physical health of residents.
(D) Informal housing, high levels of sanitation, likely high physical health of residents.
a
Describe the impact of the presence of amenities in housing.
Amenities are provided as part of formal urban housing developments. Amenities are desirable or useful features of a place that make life easier for its residents.
In city housing, access to food via grocery shops, eateries, and markets is convenient, medical services are easily available at clinics and hospitals in close vicinity, and goods and services can be acquired from nearby shops.
Describe the impact of the presence of communities in housing.
Formal urban housing also meets people’s social needs. They tend to have spaces for social gatherings E.g. community centres and playgrounds allow residents to get to know people within their neighbourhood, make friends and seek companionship. Interactions and community spirit fostered amongst neighbours lead to a sense of belonging and inclusivity for the residents of such housing developments.
State ways housing can be sustainably managed.
- Integrated Land-Use Planning
- **Provision of inclusive public housing **
- Incorporating environmental features in buildings
- Improvements to the conditions of slums
Explain how integrated land use planning sustainably manages housing.
As cities evolve and grow, different stakeholders (e.g. industries, planning authorities, property developers, commercial businesses) come together to make decisions on how the city should be developed and managed to coordinate activities in a sustainable manner. Integrated land use planning is the process by which the needs of different groups and their demands and needs (e.g. economic, social, and environmental needs) can be resolved to ensure sustainable development of the city. This also ensures that housing is not built independently away from other city functions and is built within or surrounding amenities, transport infrastructure, and other support services.
e.g. SG HDB has utilised the new town planning concept to successfully develop self-contained towns that include public housing, amenities, retail, industries, education, healthcare, and recreation services.
Explain how the provision of inclusive public housing manages housing.
A range of housing catered for different groups is provided to ensure that cities can grow sustainably.
Making public housing inclusive is costly as the added cost is needed to provide access to disadvantaged groups with special needs, Additionally, catering for a variety of housing types means that more time and effort Is needed to vary the designs of public housing.
e.g. some residents may prefer smaller apartments while others may prefer larger apartments due to varying family size. Inclusiveness here refers to ensuring that all of the urban population can have access to housing that meets their varying needs.
e.g. ensuring housing developments can cater to people of all ages and physical conditions. This enables all residents, regardless of their age and physical abilities, to feel at ease in their housing estates. For instance, ramps to assist wheelchair-bound residents, and braille and tactile markings on lift control buttons. Another example would include an inclusive playground, which is designed to be used by all children fro their physical, social, and cognitive development, including children with special needs. Through such inclusive play, children of different abilities can come together to better understand and accept one another. Some features of an inclusive playground include nearby disability-friendly washrooms, equipment designed to enhance strength, control, and senses, sensory experiences where children can play with bells and embossed diagrams, and barrier-free access from the carpark and bus stops to the playground.
Explain how the incorporation of environmental features in buildings manages housing.
The incorporation of environmentally friendly technologies into the construction of homes promotes sustainability. While the use of environmentally friendly technologies may lead to cost savings in the long run, they are often expensive to install. Moreover, many of these features may be perceived as being inconvenient for members of the public who might not understand their benefits. For example, residents who do not understand ht benefits of recycling may find it troublesome to sort their trash. As such, education of the population is needed in the form of educational campaigns or outreach programmes, which adds to the cost of building houses.
e.g. The use of solar panels to offset electrical consumption of common lighting, water-efficient fittings to minimise water consumption, and the use of green roofs and walls to reduce surrounding temperatures.
Explain how the improvement of the conditions of slums manages housing.
Governments have come to realise that it is more sustainable to enhance the living conditions of those living in informal housing than to attempt to demolish such settlements and resettle their occupants.
e.g. improvement project such as the Favela Bairro in Brazil seeks to improve access to basic services and the building quality of homes while involving the local community in the formulation and rollout of housing policies.
By improving the conditions of slums, occupants are more motivated to invest in their own homes and make improvements to the community infrastructure. Better access to clean water and sanitation services also helps to raise health levels and reduce the threat of diseases to the people living there. However, improvement schemes often run contrary to long-term city development plans as these informal housing settlements are built in plots of land not intended for housing use. This may lead to future city developments. The social impact of improvements to slum conditions remains questionable as well as crime rates and unemployment of those living in such circumstances still remain. Therefore, the sustainable management of housing depends on a variety of factors.
