Lecture 15: Urbanization

Thur, March 2, 2010

	1. discuss assignment	Theme for today: difference between description of a system and factors that control that system like the demographic transition
	2. big cities
	3. sprawl
	4. urban planning ideas

 

1. Discuss Assignment 2

decreasing energy not changing the ratio

The Transition Towns organization requires and "energy descent plan".

 

2. Big Cities

2a. Cities are important

centers of education, new ideas and exchange of those

some comparison between structure of cities and brain

emergent structures

engines of innovation

spread of innovation, usually starts at cities Hagerstrand, Torsten.1967. Innovation Diffusion as a spatial process

social structures that promote change

"elites" in bureacratic positions of power

PSU played a role in this city (needle exchange - Hugo Maynard, other examples)

Portland has engagement (from watershed councils)

Putnam, R.D. 1993. Making Democracy Work: Traditions in modern Italy.Putnam - Bowling AlonePutnam & Feldstein 2003 Better Together" Restoring the American Community

with a chapter on Portland - "Portland: A positive epidemic of civic engagement"

trust -> engagement -> democracy

 

2b. urban growth

(positive feedbacks for big cities - jobs, crime in rural areas, closely related to the poverty cycle)

megacities

proportion of population in large cities

50% now on only 2% of land area

(developed, developing)

quality of city life

improvements

densitiy - pollution

2c. Processses in urban areas

urban areas as processors of material

good aspects - recycling and lower use

bad aspects - not self sustaining, density/pollution, poverty

urban poor -

transportation systems

mass vs. individual

automobiles and their effect

taxes and fees

multiple transportation options (why it's good to live in Portland)

 

3. Sprawl

Multiple factors provided stimulus for sprawl

1. ample land
2. home loans
3. low-cost gas
4. mortgage write-off on taxes
5. zoning - separation of business and residential
6. numerous governments (city, county, etc)

Undesirable aspects of sprawl

How can we stem or reverse sprawl in the United States?

not just the removal of a factor

restoration

4. Urban planning

smart growth

new urbanism/Green Urbanism

• Orenco Station
• Villebois

strategies

• Curitiba- example
• land use zoning - Oregon
• protect spaces
  • greenbelt and parks
  • hand and fingers -
• cluster development

ecocity concept

emphasis on good ecological design

• reduce pollution
• energy efficiency
• recycling
• solar and local energy
• protect biodiversity
• urban gardens and markets
• green design of buildings
• sewage treatment - "Living Machines"

eco-district concept

• at PSU
• neighorhood scale
• fits within the context of 20 minute neighborhood and green streets
• slides from EcoDistricts powerpoint