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Sustainable Cities and Communities - Coggle Diagram
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Sustainable Transportation
Example of existing Sustainable Transportation: Transjakarta
Making public transportation more quicker and more convienent than driving
https://youtu.be/b3X14iliwx4
Watch YouTube Video of the United Nations Sustainable Transportation - Global Sustainable Transport Confrence November 26-27, 2016 (
https://youtu.be/Sm40X1Gsn_Q
)
Public transport is a key element for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and can help lower deaths due to traffic accidents. Worldwide, 1.2 million people die and up to 50 million are injured in traffic accidents each year. (UCLG and UITP, 2019)
International Association of Public Transport
Importance of Sustainable Transportation in Cities
-Reduces Environmental Footprint
-Creates Less Congestion
-Saves Money
-Creates Jobs
-Improves Health (Pollution, Auto accident reduction)
-Equity Objectives i.e. providing affordable and accessible transportation for all
Example of walkable cities in Buenos Aires and the benefits for the local community and persons with disabilities.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/102005674?h=4875806338
Louisville Transportation Objectives
Improve Accessibility of Sidewalk Intrastructure
Improve frequency and efficiency of public transit to increase ridership
Identify funding for free or subsidized public transportation
Expand paratransit programs
Continue to improve the existing bike infrastructure
and networks especially in areas with low car ownership
Implement
Move Louisville
multi-modal
transportation plan
(
Prepare Louisville
, Page 48)
Reducing Effects of Natural Disasters
:earth_americas:: Climate change and natural disasters will force 77 million urban residents into poverty and cost cities worldwide US$314 billion every year by 2030 (Croze, 2018)
Urban Disaster Risk Video
by UNDRR
Environmental Degradation
is both a driver and consequence of disasters, reducing the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological needs. For example, over-consumption of natural resources i.e deforestation can increase the landslide hazard.
(UNDRR, 2020)
Green Infrastructure
- Filter and absorb storm water where it falls. Examples of green infrastructure would be a rain barrel against a house, planting a rain garden, adding trees along city streets. When green infrastructure systems are installed around a community they can provide cleaner air and water as well as significant value for the community with flood protection, diverse habitat, and beautiful green spaces.
https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/what-green-infrastructure
How to Build a Rain Garden in Your Yard
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/south-plainfield/sections/green/articles/how-to-build-a-rain-garden-in-your-yard
Louisville Green Infrastructure
They are just starting to work on plans to help mitigate sanitary sewer overflows and reduce the volume and frequency of CSOs with environmental agencies. They are also urging members of the community to create rain barrels and rain gardens. .
https://louisvilleky.gov/government/sustainability/green-infrastructure
"
Combined sewer overflows (CSOs
) contain untreated or partially treated human and industrial waste, toxic materials, and debris as well as stormwater. They are a priority water pollution concern for the approximately 700 municipalities across the U.S. that have combined sewer systems." (EPA, 2022)
Louisville’s floodplain maps,
when compared to poverty maps, have significant overlap. (Sustain Louisville, 2013, p. 28)
Gray Infrastructure
- Man-made developments such as flood walls, disaster resistant engineered buildings, and adequately preparing our electrical grid, water supply and drainage systems for future natural disasters.
Click on link to see larger version of infographic comparing green and gray infrastructure.
https://www.thefreshwatertrust.org/infographic-green-vs-gray-infrastructure/
Safe and Inclusive Green Spaces
Addressing Green Gentrification
by using the Just Green Enough Strategy where you don't bring something so big that it displaces existing residents, but includes improvements such as community gardens and environmental cleanup. For larger projects, it should incorporate local input and protect local culture (Jaffe, 2014) Inclusive Green spaces should be planned with all people in the community in mind, not to reinforce feelings of difference, but to ensure that as many people as possible can enjoy the space, regardless of ability. (Sensory Turst, 2022)
Strategic Management of Urban Spaces
Accessible Green Spaces for Persons with Disabilities and fighting against Gentrification Example:
Barcelona
Plant choice
Certain smells can help users navigate their environment and make spaces more enjoyable for people who are more attuned to smell.
Plants that attract certain animals, such as specific birds, can provide audible comfort for those with hearing disabilities.
Bright-colored flora can offer a more distinct contrast against a traditionally dark, green environment for persons with visual impairments.
Texture of plants can also be therapeutic for a range of disabilities.
(McKinney, 2018)
:leaves:
Main Barriers in Using Green Spaces
Physical i.e. steps, slopes, lack of toilet facilities, inaccessible private transport, lack of accessible car parking
Psychological i.e. fear over personal safety, unfamiliarity, lack of confidence or motivation
Organizational i.e. lack of information and interpretation, guide dog facilities, and site guides
Lack of pre-visit and on-site information to help disabled people know if the space will be accessible to them and what they can expect. Also, providing the information in a variety of formats to be more accessible to all kinds of liabilities.
(Sensory Trust, 2022)
Benefits of Parks and Green Spaces
Attract non-resident visitors who put new dollars into local economies
Proximity to parks and open space enhances
the value of residential properties
Green space captures
precipitation reduces stormwater management costs and
protects underground water sources, which can reduce
the cost of drinking water up to tenfold
Trees and shrubs
enhance air quality and protect animal habitats.
(
Sustain Louisville
, p.32, 2013)
Green spaces can provide a place of play, refuge, and recovery, significantly increasing mental health and wellbeing and reducing stress and depression, especially for children of low-income families.
Studies have indicated that parents/caregivers who live in greener neighborhoods are less stressed. Reducing parenting stress can significately improve child behvior and development.
Inclusive and Sustainable Urbanization
Over-Coming Urban Bias
Reduce attempts to exclude poor and rural groups from urban spaces, markets, services, and politics
Forces people into homelessness or shanty towns instead of offering affordable housing within the city
Inclusive:
Any planned activities must be viewed from the perspective of diverse social groups and must take into account the special needs of men and women and such disadvantaged or vulnerable groups as ethnic minorities and the disabled
Inclusive and Sustainable Urban Development Guide for Municipalities
Safety for Vulnerable Groups
Reducing poor urban design choices such as poor street lighting and secluded underground walkways that can lead to an increased risk of violence against women and LGBTQ+ community
(Sugar, n.d.)
Infographic: Disability and Sustainable Urban Development
Vulnerable Groups Initiatives
-ensuring support during emergencies
-Protect those most at risk from climate impacts
-Equitable distribution of FEMA funds
Accessibility
Making cities accessible for disabled persons i.e. wider walkways, ramped walkway corners, warning tiles for those with visual impairments
Accessible housing for disabled persons
Streets for walking and cycling
Reduce the Environmental Impact of Cities
Louisville's Plan for Building a Climate Resilient City for All
-
:check: Mayor Greg Fischer created the Louisville Metro Office of Sustainability in 2012.
https://louisvilleky.gov/sustainability/document/preparelouisvilleadaptationplandraftforpubliccommentpdf
Environment Impact
- An environmental impact is an adverse change the environment such as pollution, contamination or destruction that effects the ecosystem including it inhabitants.
Environmental Impact of Cities Reduction Objective Examples
Manage Stormwater
Sustainable Transportation
Protect homes and businesses from more extreme climate conditions
Reducing herbicide and pesticide use
Increasing tree canopy cover
Promote environmental justice
Reducing gentrification and displacing residents
Expland emergency response systems
(Sugar, n.d.)
Adapting Infrastructure to the Changing Climate
The world will need to prepare its infrastructure based on the projected future temperatures and higher occurrences of natural disasters. As we work on building these infrastructures we are simultaneously making efforts to reduce environmental impacts that will make climate change worse.
See page 19 for Climate Change Statistics of Louisville
https://louisvilleky.gov/sustainability/document/preparelouisvilleadaptationplandraftforpubliccommentpdf
:deciduous_tree:
How Trees are Revolutionizing Cities
:deciduous_tree:
Using parks to preserve biodiversity
Boosting happiness with urban trees
Cooling cities naturally
Removing pollutants from the air with Urban Forests
Promoting healthy lifestyles with Green Spaces
Planting trees that provide food and medicine for local populations
Creating planted forests to reduce pressure on natural forests
(
Rethinking the Future of Cities
, 2018)
:deciduous_tree: A single tree can store almost 100 gallons of
stormwater, which is significant for green infrastructure and stormwater mitigation efforts, particularly in urban settings.
(
Sustain Louisville,
2013, p. 35)
Urban Heat Gardens
(UHI) describes the phenomenon where cities are hotter than the surrounding suburban areas. (
Sustain Louisville
, 2013, p. 35)
Temperatures
can be significantly cut through the use of reflective roofs,
green roofs, green walls, emissive building and infrastructure materials, cool infrastructure, and notably, shade trees.
Food and Agriculture 5 Ways to Make Cities Sustainable
Urban Agriculture
Encouraging Healthy Diets
Reducing and Managing Food Waste
Increasing Green Spaces
Reconnecting Cities with Surrounding Rural Areas
(
Five Ways to Make Cities Healthier and More Sustainable
, 2020)
