Environmental science chapter 10 discussion

Explain the impacts sprawl has on an area

-Transportation: A lack of mass transit options on the outskirts of cities means that people are essentially forced to buy and drive cars -Pollution: Carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles contribute to air pollution and global climate change -Public health: Physical inactivity increases the risk of obesity and high blood pressure -Land use: more land is used for buildings and roads while less is left as forests, fields, farmland, or ranchland -Economics: When people move out of city centers, they take their tax money with them

6 land covers and land uses for them

1.) rangeland: grazing livestock 2.) forest land: harvesting wood, wildlife, and other resources 3.) cropland: growing plants for food 4.) parks and preserves: recreation of native animal & plant communities and ecosystems 5.) wetlands, mountains, deserts, ect.: preservation of native animal and plant communities and ecosystems 6.) urban lands: residence, other buildings, and roads

Describe four components of city planning

1.) zoning: the practice of classifying areas for different types of development and land use 2.) urban growth boundaries: a line that city planners draw on a map to separate urban areas from areas the city would prefer remain rural 3.) smart growth: a philosophy of urban growth that focuses on economic and environmental approaches that lead to sustainable growth and the avoidance of sprawl. 4.) new urbanism: This approach seeks to design neighborhoods with homes, businesses, and schools close together, so that most of a person's needs can be met without driving

geographic information system, or GIS

A GIS, geographic information system is used to collect data for specific areas. Data can be collected in ways such as government offices and censuses and then stored in the GISs, the GISs then create a digital mapping program. GIS maps are used in a wide range of applications, including research, planning city services, and environmental management

Heat islands

A heat island is an area in which the temperature is several degrees higher than that of the surrounding area. It is an "island" of hot air hovering over a city. Heat islands occur because the sun-heated pavement and structures of a city can be a blistering 27-50°C hotter than the surrounding air. Montgomery and Birmingham are heat islands.

Describe the contributors to sprawl and its patterns

As people move from cities to suburbs, population growth and increased land consumption per capita contribute to sprawl. Two primary factors contribute to sprawl. One is population growth. The other is increased per capita land consumption—each person is living on more land. Several development approaches lead to sprawl. Some patterns of sprawl are uncentered commercial (strip) development; low-density single-use development; scattered, or leapfrog, development; and sparse street networks all lead to sprawl

Are urban ecological footprints larger than rural ecological footprints?

Because cities draw most of their resources from far away, their ecological footprints are much greater than their actual land areas. yes, This may be because urban and suburban residents tend to be wealthier than rural residents. Because wealth and resource consumption are closely related, the wealth of urban and suburban residents results in a larger ecological footprint for them.

Discuss the progress toward sustainability some cities have made and its importance to the world.

- Curitiba, Brazil, shows the kind of success that can result when a city invests in well-planned infrastructure. Besides a highly efficient and well-used bus transit network, the city provides recycling, environmental education, job training, and free health care. - On Earth Day 2007, Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City unveiled an extensive new plan to make New York "the first environmentally sustainable 21st-century city." PlaNYC 2030 is a 127-item program that aims to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, improve mass transit, plant trees, clean up pollution, and improve access to parks and greenways.

Differentiate green buildings from conventional buildings.

Energy-saving features include motion- and light-sensitive lighting and heating systems, rooftop solar panels that generate electricity, a sophisticated climate-control system, and the recycling of excess hot air from rooms into the heating system. The school was also arranged on its lot and built in ways that take advantage of natural light to reduce the use of electric lights and heating

Flint, Michigan

Flint, Michigan is going through a crisis involving the lead pipes that carries their water. This lead piping is the result of contaminated water that is not safe for the residence of Flint to drink. The people of Flint, Michigan along with 8 other areas in Michigan (including schools) are having to drink only out of bottled water to prevent diseases from drinking lead poisoned water. This water can cause behavioral disorders and learning disabilities. The infrastructure of the whole city was made out of lead pipes that are now becoming rusty leading to further contamination.

Portland, Oregon

In Portland, Oregon the residence were angry that the growing of factories and businesses were taking over all the farm land and open space so the governor came up with Senate Bill 100 which requires a land use plan and urban growth boundaries for companies looking to expand. Some critics believed that this bill was far too intrusive of the government but most residence thought it was the perfect balance on how to separate rural and urban areas.

Differentiate between land cover and land use

Land cover influences land use and humans change both when they build urban cites. Land cover refers to the vegetation and manufactured structures that cover land. Human activities that occur on land and are directly related to the land are called land uses. The land use (what you use the land for) will be affected by the land cover (what is on the land)

Noise and light pollution in urban areas

Noise pollution consists of undesired background noise, such as a jackhammer on a city street or the constant sound of traffic. Light pollution describes the way that city lights brighten the night sky, obscuring the stars and planets. These two types of pollution along with air pollution are more common in urban read than rural areas.

Explain the importance of open space to a livable city.

Parks and open space are key elements of livable cities. City dwellers sometimes want to escape from the noise and commotion of urban life. Natural lands, public parks, and open space provide greenery, scenic beauty, freedom of movement, and places for recreation. These lands also keep ecological processes functioning by regulating climate, producing oxygen, filtering air and water pollutants, and providing habitat for wildlife.

Explain the importance of mass transit options to a city and its residents.

Public transportation is a key factor in the quality of urban life. People in cities want public transportation options because most city streets were not built to carry the volume of car traffic they now carry. As long as an urban area has been planned in a way that can support mass transit and is large enough to support the infrastructure, mass transit is cheaper, more energy-efficient, and cleaner than roadways filled with cars.

Describe the studies the USGS conducted about land use and land cover

The USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) studied land cover and land use changes and assesses their environmental impact. Land cover scientists observe land cover and monitor how and how rapidly land cover changes.

Describe the environmental impacts of urbanization.

The environmental impact of a city is usually both positive and negative. The type of impact depends on how we use resources, produce goods, transport materials, and deal with waste. One positive impact could be that there can be a lot of recycling due to the number of objects there is to recycle but a negative impact could be the amount of pollution due to the people

How does urbanization typically occur

Urbanization occurs when people move out of rural areas toward areas with more or better jobs. People move from rural areas to urban areas as a way to make more money and be closer to the resources they need