Lecture 14/15

Question 1

define urbanization

Answer 1

the movement of people from rural to urban areas

Question 2

how has the rate of urbanization changed in developed nations

Answer 2

it has slowed

Question 3

how has the rate of urbanization changed in developing nations

Answer 3

it has become more rapid

Question 4

how do geographical factors impact the urbanization of areas

Answer 4

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

Question 5

what are some problems associated with urbanization (developing countries)

Answer 5

• 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

Question 6

what are some examples of decentralizing in developed countries

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

define urban sprawl

Answer 7

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

Question 8

what is a cause of urban sprawl (1)

Answer 8

human population growth

Question 9

what is a cause of urban sprawl (2)

Answer 9

• 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

Question 10

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

Answer 10

• People like their space/privacy
• Social perception

Question 11

define transportation (urban sprawl problem)

Answer 11

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

Question 12

define pollution (urban sprawl problem)

Answer 12

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

Question 13

define health (urban sprawl problem)

Answer 13

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

Question 14

define land use (urban sprawl problem)

Answer 14

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

Question 15

define economics (urban sprawl problem)

Answer 15

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

Question 16

define city planning

Answer 16

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

Question 17

define regional planning

Answer 17

deals with issues on broader geographic scales involving multiple municipal governments

Question 18

define zoning

Answer 18

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

Question 19

what are two solutions to urban sprawl

Answer 19

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

Question 20

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

Answer 20

• 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

Question 21

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

Answer 21

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

Question 22

define greenbelt

Answer 22

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

Question 23

ontario greenbelt

Answer 23

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

Question 24

what ecosystem services does the ontario greenbelt provide

Answer 24

• 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

Question 25

define new urbanism

Answer 25

- 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

Question 26

what are the principles of smart growth

Answer 26

- 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

Question 27

transit-oriented development

Answer 27

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

Question 28

what are some issues with mass transport

Answer 28

- 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

Question 29

define greenways

Answer 29

strips of land that connect parks or neighborhoods

Question 30

what are some benefits of greenways

Answer 30

- protect water quality - boost property values - provide corridors for wildlife movement - allow ecological restoration in cities

Question 31

what are some environmental impacts of urban resource consumption

Answer 31

- resource sinks - efficiency considerations - more consumption - increased pollution

Question 32

define how cities act as resource sinks

Answer 32

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)

Question 33

define how cities require efficiency considerations

Answer 33

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

Question 34

define how cities encourage more consumption

Answer 34

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

Question 35

define how cities lead to increased pollution

Answer 35

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

Question 36

define how cities lead to increased pollution (other types)

Answer 36

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

Question 37

define urban ecology

Answer 37

cities can be viewed as ecosystems