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Sustainable cities

All over the world, cities are bursting at the seams. Everywhere, people are being drawn from the countryside into urban centres. They come for the jobs, for education, for refuge from poverty and war, for the arts, culture and entertainment. Cities offer all of these things and more. They are crucibles of intellectual, artistic and entrepreneurial vitality.

In many places, explosive urban growth has overwhelmed city services and further impoverished the countryside. How do we make our cities sustainable? Liveable? These are key questions that will be addressed in June 2006 at the World Urban Forum in Vancouver. It will be one of the largest gatherings ever of people from around the world interested in not just talk, but in crafting concrete solutions to the problems of cities.

You too can join in the conversation. Canadian Geographic is planning a special report in its May/June 2006 issue on sustainable cities. Tell us what you think we should be focusing on in our special report.

Participate in the global conversation! Go to the Habitat Jam at habitatjam.com, a global 72-hour internet event from December 1st to 3rd, 2005. It will bring tens of thousands of people around the world together to discuss and debate the urgent and controversial issues facing our rapidly urbanizing planet.




NAME COMMENTS
Alain Deverdenne
Submitted:
Sunday, July 16, 2006
La belle province is a common phrase that we hear from Québec. I've been in that province and their big cities, but this year I found out that with the good road system that they have, they can't even maintain their roads, so many potholes here and there. Being a visitor, what is the thing that you'll remember the most in your trip: the condition of the roads.
Angela Shi
Submitted:
Tuesday, December 13, 2005

First the land use planning is very important. Cities can be created with a mix of different land use. This will
make our communities more convenient and safe.

Second is to promote the rececling to conserve energy and water, also reduce waste and pollution.

Third is to change transportation planning. More people will travel by walking, biking, and public transit.

Fourth is to restore natural
environments, such as woodlots, rivers, and wetlands in cities.

Fifth is to encourage the building of safe, conveniently located, and
affordable housing for people in all economic groups.

Chris
Submitted:
Wednesday, November 23, 2005

-free extensive public transportation
- high subsidies for implementing solar
panels, etc, on residences
-high subsidies for driving fuel-
effecient cars
-high penalties for driving fuel-
guzzling cars
-greater taxes for those who put out
more garbage (recycle less)
- no cosmetic pesticide use
-building for beauty as well as
efficiency and conservation
-reclaiming downtown cores for living
as opposed to spreading into suburbia
-develop for foot/bike traffic instead
of car traffic (ie: don't put
driveways right in front, but pathways)
- MORE GREENSPACE!
-More centres and gathering places


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naturalleaf5
Submitted:
Tuesday, November 22, 2005

i 'd like to say something.to chase
economical benefit,we must think of
the long term plan.we can do lot of
things for it.for example,making
recicle water tube.it's justto linkthe
washing machine to a big jar.in
countryside,try to use manure and
reduce to use fertilizer.collect wast
paper and don't use plastic bag.don't
produce things that can use one
times.in short term it's not
convenintand cost more.but future is
bright.

Jenn
Submitted:
Monday, November 21, 2005

My understanding of a sustainable city
is one that balances culture, economy
and the environment (I know, the 'E'
word no one wants to hear about
anymore!) Are there any sustainable
cities in the world? Or is this just a
concept we strive for but will never
reach? Will it be just one more thing
we think, "Yeah, we should really do
that better." and feel guilty about
because we never will?

I can say all the things that I think
will make a city sustainable, but it
will never happen - not until there is
a serious shift in the school of
economics. Our world is too ruled by
economics, which in turn is too ruled
by short-term gain. How can we create
sustainable cities with such short-
sightedness?

So, although this is a nice thought,
it will never happen. We might as well
go back to our SUVs and drive to our
sprawling, cancerous suburbs and
watch "reality" TV than hope for
something that will never come to pass.

Ellen
Submitted:
Monday, November 21, 2005

The whole scenario feels like a catch-
22 sinkhole. If the small, financially
affluent percentage of the population
is responsible for consuming soaring
amounts of the Earth's resources (some
studies say 75%)then it is these people
who must make changes to their
lifestyle and behaviour.
Suggestions to curb urban dwellers from
gobbling resources include more
environmentally-sound products,
services and living environments. The
problem is these are often so expensive
that only the upper crust can afford
them. If the source of the problem also
holds the key to the solution then what
can be done?
As projections of ecolgocial footprints
and deficits anticipate our current
consumption as requiring five more
planet Earths to maintain our current
way of living it seems that sooner or
later we are all going to pay.


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