Environmental Science Honors — Ch.10: Urbanization

land cover

the vegetation and manufactured structure that cover land (such as trees, crops, wetlands, water, buildings, & pavement)

Land use

the human activities that occur on land and are directly related to land use (such as farming, grazing, logging, mining, residential, commercial, industrial)

Urban area

mostly developed land covered mainly with buildings and roads (population size > 2500)

Rural area

Area not majorly developed, population size < 2500

Urbanization

A process when people move out of a rural area towards areas with more or better jobs.

infrastructure

The physical and organizational levels that provide essential services to people.

Greenway

Strips of vegetated open space that connects parts or neighborhoods, often located along streams, rivers, or old railroads

Heat island

An urban area that experiences higher temperatures than nearby rural areas, or when areas experience hotter temperatures in a city

sprawl

the spread of low-density urban or suburban development outward from a dense urban core

city planning

an approach of designing cities in order to maximize their functionality and beauty

geographic information system

A computer system that analyzes and displays geographically referenced information.

zoning

classifying area for different types of development and land use

urban growth boundary

a line that city planners can draw to distinguish urban areas from designated rural areas

smart growth

a philosophy of urban growth that focuses on economic and environment approaches that encourage sustainable development

ecological restoration

the practice of restoring native ecological communities.

What are three negative impacts of cities? Explain each.

• pollution - high use of vechicles, industrial activites, and energy consumption lead to smog which may cause respiratory illness and other health problems.

• heat islands - increases energy consumption (due to higher air conditioning use), exacerbate air pollution, and can lead to heat-related health risks

• resource demands - lead to overexploitation of natural resources, strain on infrastructure, and increased waste production. As cities expand, they often rely on surrounding rural areas for resources, which can lead to deforestation, depletion of freshwater sources, and increased greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and production.

What are three positive effects of cities? Explain each.

• Travel Efficiency: helps decrease fuel consumption, air pollution and commuting costs while making daily travel more convenient for residents

• Reduced Land Area Footprints: efficiency in land use allows for more sustainable living arrangements and lower per-capita environmental impact

• Land Preservation: by keeping infrastructure within a smaller geographic areas, cities help preserve landscapes, forests and agriculture; supports biodiversity, protects ecosystem and maintains green spaces

How are per capita land consumption and sprawl related?

Per capita per land consumption is the average land a person consumes which directly contribute to sprawl. (As per capita increases, sprawl increases.)

Causes of Sprawl

• Suburban areas offer more space per person

• Jobs move to city outskirts

• Housing prices are more affordable

• Suburban areas are considered safer

How does sprawl affect transportation?

• Increased reliance on cars and fossil fuel consumption

• More traffic accidents and more time consuming

• Loss of public transport infrastructure

• Distance makes walking and biking unrealistic

How sprawl affect pollution?

• increased use of cars creates more carbon emissions

• Increased pavement and land cover change results in more runoff

How does sprawl affect public health?

• Increased reliance on cars and lack of pedestrian infrastructure results in less physical movement

• Inactivity increased the risk of obesity and other health problems

How does sprawl affect land use?

• More land cover is changed from a natural land cover to a developed one

• Results in a loss of ecosystem services and biodiversity

How does sprawl affect economy?

• movement of wealthy taxpayers out of urban areas can result in urban blight

• Due to a lack of funds needed to maintain infrastructure

Benefits of Zoning

• Seperated manufacturing factories from neighborhoods or schools

• Keeps landfills away from agricultural or residential land

Benefits of Urban Growth Boundaries

• prevents development from expanding out of the designated urban area

• encourages cities to build up, not out

Benefits of Smart Growth

• Wants to maintain open spaces by developing and revitalizing existing developed areas, such as former industrial sites

Urban Blight

The deterioration and decay of an urban area.

Three Main Causes of Urban Blight

• Increased Roadways

• Job Loss

• Population Shifts to the Suburbs

How do transportation options impact environmental and public health?

• overall efficiency

• Efficiency per person (like the max amount of people in a car)

• Biking and walking

• Global warming

• Increased risk of obesity and increased risk of blood pressure

Why are parks and green spaces important to environmental and public health?

• Having safe and collaborative parks and green spaces encourage people to be outside

• Gives a sense of place

• Decreases sedentary (not very active) lifestyles

What are two common ways to incorporate greenways into an urban environment?

• railroad trails

• long waterways

What is a ‘green’ building?

A sustainable building that uses less resources when compared to building utilized standard designs and features.

What is LEED & what does the acronym stand for?

The U.S.’ standard for green buildings.

• Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design

One way that densely populated cities can help conserve wildlife habitat

• allowes people to live on less land

Why do environmental scientists study land cover?

• As human populations grow and change, the land cover of an areas chages as well.

• Changing land covers impacts environmental quality