1. Urbanization

2. Curitiba, Brazil: an ecocity
In 1969, the city focused on mass transit and now has the world’s best bus system
70% of people use mass transit
All high-rise buildings devote the bottom 2 floors to stores (reduces need to travel)
Recycles 70% of paper and 60% of metal, glass, and plastic
The city uses old buses as roving classrooms to teach skills, and as health clinks and day-care centers
The poor get free medical care and can exchange recyclables for food and bus tokens
The city also provides free taps of safe water throughout poor areas

4. Why do people move to urban centers?
As the industrial revolution created more jobs in urban centers, fewer people were needed on farms
Urbanization is the shift of population from the countryside to towns and cities
in developed countries, urbanization has slowed, because 3 out 4 people already live in cities, towns, and suburbs (smaller communities that ring cities)
In developing nations, urbanization is drastically increasing

5. Urban Cities Today
Today, 46 cities hold more then 5 million people, and 20 cities hold more than 10 million people
Less than 5% of North American urban dwellers like in large cities; most live in smaller cities such as Portland or Austin

6. Major Urban Regions in the US
Fig. 25-6
p. 665

7. Why is urban growth so rapid?
More people are moving from farms to cities than are moving from cities to farms
The human population overall is growing
Most fast growing cities today are in the developing world
Many are facing overcrowding, pollution, and poverty

8. Practice Question
The two continents with the greatest increase in urbanization are
North America and Africa
South America and Australia
Africa and Asia
Asia and North America
Europe and South America

9. The suburbs
As cities become more crowded, unemployment rises and poverty and crime increase
Many affluent city dwellers chose to move outward to the cleaner, less crowded, and more park-like suburban communities surrounding cities
Suburbs provide more space per person, but need more roads, have traffic, and large-scale habitat destruction

10. Urban Sprawl
Sprawl is the spread of low-density urban or suburban development outward from an urban center

11. Urban Sprawl There are two main components of sprawl
Human population growth
Per capita land consumption is increasing

12. Practice Question
The growth of suburbs and urban sprawl were primarily facilitated by
The development of indoor plumbing
The proliferation of automobiles
A lack of vested ecosystems
Rebates and other legislative incentives
A decrease in the cost and time required for house construction

13. Negatives to sprawl
Transportation: people mostly drive cars due to a lack of transportation options
Pollution: CO2 emissions increase, as do NO2 and SO2 emissions
Water pollution is estimated to be 16 times greater on paved areas than from vegetated areas

14. Negatives to sprawl
Health: some studies indicate that sprawl promotes physical inactivity
This leads to other health issues
Land use: more land is developed and less is left as forests, fields, or farmland
Economics: tax dollars are spent on new infrastructure on the outskirts of cities (ex: roads, telephone lines, sewers)

15. Advantages to urbanization
Economics: cities are centers of economic development and jobs
Health: lower infant mortality rates, long lives, and better access to health care
Environmental: recycling is more economically feasible, preserves biodiversity

16. Disadvantages to urbanization
Unsustainable systems: occupy 2% of land area and use ¾ of earth’s resources
Lack of plants: most trees, shrubs, and other plants are destroyed
Water problems: cities have a high demand for water
Also, flooding problems occur

17. Urban Areas: Inputs and Outputs
Fig p. 669

18. Practice Question
All of the following are environmental advantages of urbanization as compared to rural living EXCEPT
Increased feasibility of recycling
Increased per capita expenditures on environmental expenditures
Reduced use of land
Reduced stress on wildlife habitats
Reduced climactic impact

19. Disadvantages to urbanization
Pollution and health problems: high density and resource consumption leads to high levels of air and water pollution, as well as waste disposal issues
Also increases the spread of infectious diseases
Climate and artificial light: cities are warmer, rainier, foggier, and cloudier than suburbs
Creates large amounts of artificial light
Poverty and social problems

20. Urban Heat Island
The large amounts of heat generated by cars, factories, furnaces, lights, etc create an “urban heat island”
This phenomenon describes urban and suburban temperatures that are 2 to 10°F (1 to 6°C) hotter than nearby rural areas

21. Case study: Mexico City
19 million people live there, with 400,000 arriving each year
Severe air pollution, 50% unemployment, deafening noise, overcrowding, traffic congestion, inadequate public transportation, and a high crime rate
1/3 of the residents live in slums with no running water and electricity
3 million people have no sewers facilities—large amounts of human waste are all around the city
Has one of the world’s worst smog problems

22. Case study: Mexico City
Air and water pollution cause 100,000 premature deaths per year
Water demands have drained the aquifers so much that parts of the city have subsided 30 feet
The city has made some progress with pollution in recent years and has started to plant trees

23. City Planning
City planning is the professional pursuit that attempts to design cities so as to maximize their efficiency, functionality, and beauty
Chicago was the first American city that was thoroughly planned

24. City Zoning
In zoning, various parcels of land are designated for certain uses
Zoning can be used to control the growth of a city
Zoning is not very effective in protecting the environment, because it is not a concern for politicians when making decisions

25. Preserving open space
Urban growth boundary model encourages certain types of development that prevents destruction of important environmental areas
The traditional method is to preserve large blocks of open space as parks

27. Practice Question
A city is immersed in a brownish tinted smog. What can be inferred from this observation?
UV rays had nothing to do with the formation of this brownish haze
The automobiles in the city alone are responsible for this brownish haze
A nearby coal-fired factory is responsible for this brownish haze
Nitrogen dioxide is responsible for this brownish haze

28. Smart Growth
Smart growth is a city planning concept in which a community’s growth is managed in ways that limit sprawl and improve residents’ quality of life
Mix land uses
Take advantage of compact building design
Create a range of housing opportunities

29. Smart Growth Create walkable neighborhoods
Foster distinctive, attractive communities
Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas
Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities
Provide a variety of transportation choices
Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective
Encourage community collaboration in decisions

30. Transit Options in Cities
As long as an urban center is large enough to support the infrastructure, mass transit options are cheaper, more energy-efficient, and cleaner than roadways

31. Pros
Cons
Rail
Buses
Bikes

32. The Benefits of Rail Transit
Building and maintaining mass transit can be very expensive
Cities that have rail service as a major component of their transportation systems had 36% fewer per capita traffic deaths each year, and residents drove 21% fewer miles
They are also cheaper than bus-only systems
Systems with only moderate rail systems did not find the same benefits

33. Urban Sustainability
This idea seeks ways to increase the good that comes from urban centers and minimize the bad
A city that imports all its resources and exports all its wastes is not sustainable
Many cities around the country are trying to become more sustainable

34. Case Studies: Cities New York: green initiatives
Mexico City: huge population growth has led to overcrowding and environmental problems
Curitiba, Brazil: great mass transit and environmental planning
Los Angeles or Las Vegas: urban sprawl
Rizhao, China: mostly solar powered city