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Environmental Science > Lecture 14/15 > Flashcards

Lecture 14/15 Flashcards

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1
Q

define urbanization

A

the movement of people from rural to urban areas

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2
Q

how has the rate of urbanization changed in developed nations

A

it has slowed

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3
Q

how has the rate of urbanization changed in developing nations

A

it has become more rapid

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4
Q

how do geographical factors impact the urbanization of areas

A
  • climate, topography, and configuration of waterways determine if a large city can form
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5
Q

what are some problems associated with urbanization (developing countries)

A
  • Less need for farm labor due to transition to industrialization
  • Wars, conflict, and ecological degradation drive migration to cities
  • Now many of these cities face overcrowding, pollution, and poverty
  • Their economic growth does not match their population growth
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6
Q

what are some examples of decentralizing in developed countries

A
  • global commerce, jet travel, television, cell phones and internet
  • businesses do not need to be in urban areas
  • highway networks make it easier to commute
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7
Q

define urban sprawl

A

the spread of low-density urban or suburban development outward from an urban center

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8
Q

what is a cause of urban sprawl (1)

A

human population growth

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9
Q

what is a cause of urban sprawl (2)

A
  • amount of sprawl = the number of people added to an area times the amount of land the average person occupies
  • interstate highways
  • technology (telecommunications, and the Internet) eliminate businesses from dependence on a centralized infrastructure and workers can live wherever they wish
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10
Q

what is a cause of urban sprawl (3/4)

A
  • People like their space/privacy
  • Social perception
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11
Q

define transportation (urban sprawl problem)

A

Transportation: people forced to drive
- want to own cars = more dependence on fossil fuels
- lack of mass transit options / more traffic accidents

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12
Q

define pollution (urban sprawl problem)

A

Pollution from sprawl’s effects
- CO2, nitrogen- and sulfur-containing air
- motor oil and road salt from roads and parking lots

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13
Q

define health (urban sprawl problem)

A

Health: promotes physical inactivity (obesity, high blood pressure)

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14
Q

define land use (urban sprawl problem)

A

Land Use: remove forests, farmland with loss of ecosystem services, recreation habitat

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15
Q

define economics (urban sprawl problem)

A

Economics: drains tax dollars from communities (for roads, water and sewer systems, electricity, police and fire services, schools in new developments)

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16
Q

define city planning

A

involves designing cities with goal of maximizing their efficiency, beauty, functionality
- development options
- transportation needs
- public parks

17
Q

define regional planning

A

deals with issues on broader geographic scales involving multiple municipal governments

18
Q

define zoning

A

practice of classifying areas for different types of development and land use
- can restrict areas to single use or allow combination of residential/commercial/agricultural uses

19
Q

what are two solutions to urban sprawl

A
  1. Establish urban growth boundaries (UGBs) in Regional Planning
  2. Establish greenbelts through changes in zoning designations
20
Q

what are some advantages to urban growth boundaries (UBG’s)

A
  • concentrates development
  • limits sprawl: keeps growth in existing urbanized areas
    • revitalize downtowns
    • protect farms, orchards, ranches, forests
    • ensure urban dwellers some access to open space
    • may reduce infrastructure costs
21
Q

what are some disadvantages of urban growth boundaries (UBG’s)

A
  • increases housing prices within their boundaries
  • restricts development outside UGB
  • increases the density of new housing inside the UGB
  • increasing pressure to expand boundaries
22
Q

define greenbelt

A

is a land use (zoning) designation
- intended to contain urban development and protect agricultural and natural lands

23
Q

ontario greenbelt

A

considered a major success (worldwide)
- under threat by current provincial government

24
Q

what ecosystem services does the ontario greenbelt provide

A
  • filter through wetlands
  • replenish groundwater
  • safeguard vital resources that clean air and water
  • reduce flood risks
  • provide a home for wildlife
  • protect soils in high-quality farmland
  • ensure communities have access to greenspace
25
Q

define new urbanism

A
  • design liveable cities using smart growth
  • urban growth boundaries and other land use policies to control growth and promote “smart growth”
  • Proponents promote:
    • healthy neighborhoods/communities
    • jobs and economic development
    • transportation options
    • environmental quality
  • Building “up, not out”
    • focusing development in existing areas
    • favouring multi-story shop-houses and high-rises
26
Q

what are the principles of smart growth

A
  • mixed land uses
  • compact building design
  • range of housing opportunities and choices
  • walkable neighborhoods
  • distinctive, attractive neighborhoods
  • preserve open space
  • develop existing communities
  • variety of transportation choices
  • predictable development decisions
  • community collaboration in development decisions
27
Q

transit-oriented development

A

Communities arrayed around stops on a major rail transit lines
- people can travel by train and foot alone (reduce car use)
- Zoning rules must align better with new urbanism
- denser development must be allowed

28
Q

what are some issues with mass transport

A
  • Expensive to replace existing roads
  • Types of mass transit differ in their effectiveness
    • depends on city size, size of transit system
  • Convenient affordable rail transit – most environmentally sustainable option
  • Governments can encourage mass transit
    • raise fuel taxes
    • tax inefficient modes of transport
    • reward carpoolers
    • encourage bicycle use / bus ridership
    • charge trucks for road damage
    • stimulate investment in renewed urban centers
29
Q

define greenways

A

strips of land that connect parks or neighborhoods

30
Q

what are some benefits of greenways

A
  • protect water quality
  • boost property values
  • provide corridors for wildlife movement
  • allow ecological restoration in cities
31
Q

what are some environmental impacts of urban resource consumption

A
  • resource sinks
  • efficiency considerations
  • more consumption
  • increased pollution
32
Q

define how cities act as resource sinks

A

cities must import resources from long distances
- rely on large expanses of land elsewhere for resources
- need natural land for ecosystem services (air and water purification, nutrient cycling, water treatment)

33
Q

define how cities require efficiency considerations

A

concentration of people in cities allows efficient use and delivery of goods and services
- city density facilities social services that improve the quality of life:
- medical services
- education
- water
- sewer systems
- waste disposal
- public transportation

34
Q

define how cities encourage more consumption

A

Heavy use of outside resources extends ecological footprints of cities to levels far beyond actual sizes
- cities occupy approximately 5% of the land surface, but consume more than 75% of the world’s resources
- urban dwellers have far larger ecological footprints that rural dwellers
- urban residents tend to be wealthier leading to more consumption

35
Q

define how cities lead to increased pollution

A

higher population densities of cities in comparison to rural areas
- cities import resources but also export wastes and transfer the costs of dealing with their waste to other regions
- citizens are exposed to pollution (e.g. heavy metals/chemicals)
- the poor suffer the consequences of pollution the most because they are too poor to move and lack political or economic influence

36
Q

define how cities lead to increased pollution (other types)

A
  1. Urban “Heat Island” Effect
    = cities have ambient temperatures that are several degrees higher than the surrounding areas
  2. Noise Pollution
    = undesired ambient sound
    • can induce stress and harms hearing
      degrades aesthetic of surroundings
  3. Light Pollution
    = lights obscure the night sky, impairing the visibility of stars
37
Q

define urban ecology

A

cities can be viewed as ecosystems

Environmental Science (9 decks)

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