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Flashcards in Changing Urban Environment Deck (51)
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1
Q

Urbanisation

A

A process where an increasing proportion of the population lives in towns and cities (and there is a reduction in urban living)

2
Q

Rural-urban migration

A

A process in which people move from countryside to towns

3
Q

Push-pull factors

A

Factors that push people away from or draw people to an area

4
Q

Natural increase

A

When birth rate is higher than death rate, so the population increases.

5
Q

Land use

A

The type of buildings or other features that are found in the area e.g. terraced housing, banks, industrial estates, roads and parks.

6
Q

CBD

A

Central business district is the main shopping and service area in a city. The CBD is usually found within the centre of the city so that it is easily accessible.

7
Q

Function

A

The purpose of a particular area, e.g. residential, business, commercial, industry

8
Q

Inner city

A

The area around the CBD – usually built before 1918 in the UK

9
Q

Suburbs

A

The area on the edge of the city. Many suburbs were built after 1945 and get newer as they reach the edge of the city

10
Q

Rural-urban fringe

A

The area where the suburbs merge into the countryside e.g. Abbotts Leigh, near Bristol

11
Q

Household

A

A person living alone, or two or more people living at the same address, sharing a living room.

12
Q

Brownfield site

A

Land that has been built on before and is to be cleared and reused. These sites are often in the inner city.

13
Q

Greenfield site

A

Land that has never been built on before, usually in the countryside on the edge of the built up area.

14
Q

Urban decay

A

When an urban area goes into decline – this has happened in the UK’s inner city areas over the last 50 years.

15
Q

Regeneration

A

Improving an area – many schemes have been put in place to regenerate the UK’s inner city areas

16
Q

Urban Development Corporations (UDC’s)

A

Set up in the 1980s and 1990s using public funding to buy land and improve inner areas of cities, partly by attracting private investment e.g. London Docklands Development Corporation.

17
Q

City Challenge

A

A strategy in which local authorities had to design a scheme and submit a bid for funding, competing against other councils. They also had to become part of a partnership involving the local community and private companies who would fund part of the development e.g. City Challenge Hulme, Manchester

18
Q

Sustainable communities

A

A community offering housing, employment and recreation & leisure facilities all the same local area. The community is in balance with the environment and offers people a good quality of life e.g. New Islington Millennium Village, Manchester

19
Q

Quality of life

A

How good a person’s life is as measured by factors like quality of housing, environmental quality, access to education, health care, security and social wellbeing.

20
Q

Congestion

A

When traffic becomes too great for transport networks leading to air pollution, noise pollution, health problems and discolouration of buildings.

21
Q

Park and ride schemes

A

A bus service that runs from car parks in the suburbs to key places in the inner city and CBD. Reduces congestion. Costs are kept low to encourage people to use the scheme e.g. York

22
Q

Congestion charge

A

When a charge is paid to enter the CBD of a major city e.g. London congestion charge zone

23
Q

Multiculturalism

A

The rich, diverse range of religions, cultures and ethnicities in a single area

24
Q

Segregation

A

Occurs when people of a particular ethnic group choose to live with others from the same ethnic group, separate from other groups. Often occurs because gathering together offers support and safety. Often an ethnic group will gather near a place of worship and to be close to specialist facilities e.g. Halal food suppliers.

25
Q

Multicultural mix

A

When ethnic groups are encouraged to mix, through mixed schools, active community projects and improving literacy/English speaking skills of ethnic groups e.g. Leeds

26
Q

CBD regeneration

A

Regenerating the CBD to attract business and economic wealth back into the heart of the city e.g. Broadmead BID and Cabot’s Circus, Bristol

27
Q

Squatter settlements

A

Areas of cities (usually on the outskirts) that are built by people of any materials they can find on land that does not belong to them. Such settlements have different names in different parts of the world (e.g. favela in Brazil) and are often known as shanty towns e.g. Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya

28
Q

Informal sector

A

That part of the economy where jobs are created by people to try to get an income (e.g. tackling in washing, mending bicycles) and which are not recognised in official figures.

29
Q

Assisted Self Help (ASH)

A

This is where local authorities help squatter settlement residents to improve their homes by offering finance in the form of loans or grants and often installing water, sanitation etc

30
Q

Site and service

A

Occurs where land is divided into individual plots and water, sanitation, electricity and basic track layout are supplied before any building by residents begins.

31
Q

Local authority schemes

A

When the local authority puts schemes in place to improve the quality of life in squatter settlements (e.g. in Kibera, Nairobi the local authority work with UN-HABITAT and the World Bank to support residents and provide water and electricity.

32
Q

Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya

A

The largest squatter settlement in Kenya home to 1 million people, each with 1 metre square of floor space. HIV/AIDS is a problem. ASH and local authority schemes (supported by UN-HABITAT and the World Bank) are slowly improving the area. Comic Relief in 2011 brought major publicity and charity to the slums across the world. Gap Year students go there.

33
Q

Rapid urbanisation

A

In poorer parts of the world rapid growth of urban areas and industrialisation has led to major social and environmental impacts (e.g. waste disposal, air pollution, water pollution)

34
Q

Industrialisation

A

A process in which an increasing proportion of the population are employed in the manufacturing sector of the economy

35
Q

Disposal of waste

A

Safely getting rid of unwanted items such as solid waste. Waste disposal can lead to major environmental and social problems e.g. ewaste disposal in Bangalore, India

36
Q

Landfill

A

A means of disposing of waste by digging a large hole in the ground and lining it before filling it with rubbish

37
Q

Incineration

A

An incinerator is used to burn waste on a large scale. E.g. Ardley incinerator in Oxfordshire Mr Cotton’s parents are NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard protestors)

38
Q

Recycling

A

Collection and subsequent reprocessing of products such as paper, aluminium cans, plastic containers and mobile phones instead of throwing them away.

39
Q

Air pollution

A

Putting harmful substances into the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide or even toxic chemicals (e.g. Union Carbide released poisonous gases in 1984 in Bhopal, India – killed 3000)

40
Q

Transnational corporations (TNC’s)

A

A company that spreads its operations all over the country in an attempt to reduce costs (e.g. Union Carbide)

41
Q

Water pollution

A

Putting poisonous substances into water courses such as sewage, industrial waste and chemicals (e.g. Ganges River, India)

42
Q

Shangai, China - an industrial city

A

Construction industry creates 30,000 tonnes of waste a day. 73% of city’s electricity from coal-fired power stations. CO2 emissions cause visibility, health and environmental problems. Shanghai death toll: 400,000 annually. 4 million cubic metres of human waste enter Shanghai’s Huangpu River each day!

43
Q

Sustainable city

A

An urban area where residents have a way of life that will last a long time. The city’s environment, social and economic resources are able to last the test of time. Heavy community involvement.

44
Q

Greenbelt

A

Land on the edge of the built up area where restrictions are placed on buildings to prevent the city spreading into the countryside. Greenbelt is there for city residents to have quick and easy access to open green spaces. E.g. Ashton Court is in Bristol’s greenbelt and conserves the city’s natural environment and stops urban sprawl.

45
Q

Urban sprawl

A

The uncontrolled outward spread of a town or city into the surrounding countryside.

46
Q

Conserving the city’s historic environment

A

When a sustainable city looks to preserve its history and cultural heritage (e.g. Bristol’s Harbourside and Cathedral Quarter - Café Gusto’s roof does not obscure the city’s cathedral). Gentrification of buildings preserves the fabric of the building buts changes the function – e.g. Arnolfini, Bristol.

47
Q

Use of Brownfield sites

A

When development of brownfield is encouraged – this is like recycling land, instead of using new Greenfield sites e.g. Bristol Harbourside, Cathedral Quarter. This is another way of a city becoming sustainable.

48
Q

Reducing and safely disposing of waste

A

Reducing waste is a major priority for sustainable cities – Bristol’s council only picks up landfill waste every 2 weeks, but picks up recyclable waste every week. Bristol’s Better Food Company does not supply plastic bags.

49
Q

Providing open spaces

A

Sustainable cities ensure people have access to open green spaces – Bristol’s Open Spaces Consultation in 2010 ensured the Downs and other parks were protected.

50
Q

Involving local people

A

Sustainable cities involve local communities - Bristol’s Open Spaces Consultation in 2010 consulted the public and all meetings were held in town halls. It ensured the public was heard and listened to.

51
Q

Efficient public transport

A

Public transport must be encouraged if a city is sustainable – Bristol’s is the UK’s only Cycling City, Curitiba in Brazil is the world’s most sustainable city – its Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) is efficient, cheap bus travel.