Week 11: Green infrastructure Flashcards
What is green infrastructure and its main purpose?
Green infrastructure refers to deliberately constructed vegetated elements that mitigate environmental risks (e.g., flooding, pollution, heat) and provide social benefits (e.g., recreation, aesthetics). Inspired by natural processes.
Give two examples of green infrastructure in urban areas.
Green roofs – reduce runoff and insulate buildings.
Bioswales – filter pollutants from stormwater.
How does green infrastructure mitigate water pollution?
Slows runoff, retains “first flush” pollutants, filters stormwater via vegetation and soil in bioswales, rain gardens, and permeable surfaces.
What is the urban heat island effect, and how does green infrastructure help?
Urban areas get hotter due to heat-absorbing materials. Green infrastructure (e.g., green roofs, trees) provides shade, cools air through evapotranspiration.
Define environmental injustice in the context of green infrastructure.
The inequitable distribution of environmental amenities and risks, often harming marginalized communities.
What is green gentrification?
When greening projects raise property values, leading to the displacement of vulnerable residents.
Why is maintenance a challenge for green infrastructure?
It requires regular weeding, watering, and cleaning, but municipal budgets are often too stretched to support this long-term.
What are living breakwaters and what do they do?
Artificial coastal structures that support oysters/corals, filter water, and reduce storm surge impact by dissipating wave energy.
What is the Billion Oyster Project and why is it significant?
A New York City initiative to restore oyster reefs as living infrastructure for coastal protection and education.
What is a greenbelt?
Privately owned protected areas for agriculture, watersheds, or recreation. Legislated land-use limits prevent urban sprawl.
What were the motivations behind London’s (UK) greenbelt?
Created in 1935 to protect farmland and limit urban sprawl. Now under pressure from housing demands.
What are the components of Ontario’s Greenbelt?
Includes the Niagara Escarpment, Oak Ridges Moraine, and others. Created in 2005 to protect farmland, watersheds, and recreational areas.
What are two tensions related to Ontario’s Greenbelt?
Pressure to open land for housing.
Balancing urban growth with farmland/ecological protection.
What are the three main issues with agricultural land-use?
Food security & sovereignty
Economic viability of farming
Land-use conflict (e.g., farming vs. development)
How does green infrastructure relate to environmental justice?
It can reduce inequality if equitably distributed, but without care, it may increase inequality via green gentrification.
