Building the Ecological CityWoodhead Publishing, 2002 M02 22 - 238 pages If the modern city is a monument to anything, it is a monument to man's inefficiency. Our cities are plagued by problems of congestion, waste, and pollution that deplete natural resources, damage the environment and reduce the quality of life of citizens. The irony is, as this fascinating new study shows, that it doesn't have to be like this. Building the ecological city describes the problems we face and puts forward solutions to the question - how can we build cities that provide an acceptable standard of living for their inhabitants without depleting the ecosystems and bio-geochemical cycles on which they depend? The book suggests and examines the concept of urban metabolism in which the city is characterized as a set of interlinked systems of physical flows linking air, land and water. A series of chapters looks at the production and management of waste, energy use and air emissions, water supply and management, urban land use and air quality issues. Within the broader context of climate change, the book then considers a range of practical strategies for restoring the health of urban ecosystems from the restoration of 'brownfield' land to productive use through to improving air quality and making better use of water resources Building the ecological city is a major contribution to better urban management and planning for both citizens and the environment and is an invaluable sourcebook for urban and national planners, architects and environmental agencies.
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Contents
Energy and emissions to the | 3 |
Cities for the new millennium | 7 |
It isnt waste until you waste | 31 |
1 | 64 |
asset or liability? | 81 |
1 | 97 |
The water we use and abuse | 114 |
Restoring urban land to productive use | 131 |
Clearing the air | 147 |
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Common terms and phrases
Aalborg Aalborg Charter activities Agenda 21 air quality approach atmosphere automobile become biosphere brownfield building carbon dioxide Chapter cities & towns climate change communities contaminants costs Cryptosporidium density Earthscan ecological city ecological footprint economic efficiency energy Environment environmental environmental refugees example extreme weather events flood flows fossil fuels function gases global warming greenhouse gas emissions groundwater heating households human health hydrological cycle ICLEI impacts improve increase industrial infrastructure issues Kyoto Protocol landfill lifestyle London major materials metabolism methane modern municipal natural organisations ozone pathogens pollution poor countries population potential problem produce rainfall recycling reduce greenhouse gas regional require residuals responsibility reuse rich countries risk Romm scale sea level rise sector sewage society solid waste solution Source Table temperatures threat tion tonnes Toronto toxic urban land urban system waste stream water supply Western cities