Livable Cities

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1. "During that same period of time, much of our already-aging urban infrastructure will reach the end of its useful life and will need to be replaced."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge (208).

     This is a statement that hits very close to home with us because we are surrounded by all types of construction. Look at I-75 for example. There is not a single day that goes by that there is not some type of construction happening on the interstate. Most of us hate it, but what we fail to realize that infrastructure is the first step in accommodating the population growth. Without the infrastructure, roads and bridges, there would be no way for us to be able to get to new areas of growth. The world's population is growing so fast, that our current infrastructure is not sustainable and needs constant improvements. While the construction is a huge inconvenience, it is very necessary and will need to continue in order to keep people moving.

2. "Sprawl affects not only planetary health but social and individual health as well. Research surveys show significant links between the built environment and obesity. Physical inactivity is an independent risk factor for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge (209).

     After reading this, I had to stop and think about what it was really saying for a minute. Sprawl is a method of settling land in a way that individuals rely hugely on vehicle or automotive transportation. This statement is saying that since we rely so heavy on our cars for transportation, we are not getting the exercise we need to keep our bodies healthy. It makes me realize that it is not just our eating habits that contribute to bad health, but it is also caused by the way we travel. Maybe we should think about moving more toward a culture where walking and biking are more feasible and reduce our reliance on vehicles. 

3.  "Density is a factor in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in creating places with social and economic opportunity."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge (212).

     With the growing population, the density, or amount of people in a given ares grows as well. While this may cause the need for more infrastructure, it also has some great benefits. With a high density, it is easier, and more feasible, to use public transportation like buses and subways. This would help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases because people are driving less. Higher density area also foster economic growth. With more people in one area, local businesses would have more business. For people like me, we will stick to the rural lifestyle, but areas with a more dense population definitely has its perks.