I guess we're all hypocrites

I recently read an amazing piece from the Twin Cities Pioneer Press regarding the Paris Climate Conference, and by amazing I mean it was well written, hilarious, and far right winged. Joe Soucheray, a columnist with the local paper feels this convention on climate "is an exercise in hypocrisy" (http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_29174240/joe-soucheray-paris-climate-conference-is-an-exercise?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook).
Sure we are all flying on large jet engine airplanes to travel across the globe and talk about climate, but these are conversations worth having and ones that will impact generations to come. While we know flying in airplanes has its effects on the environment, we'd all like to admit that we enjoy flying and traveling and we'd like to keep it that way. And thus we are taking steps to protect the environment, reduce our consumption and footprint so we can continue to enjoy these many first world pleasures. Theses changes are about sacrifice and for them to be effective we'll have to sacrifice certain luxuries to receive the benefits of others. While it may one day be possible to consume excessively and see no repercussions, taking steps and making sacrifices now is essential. While I give Soucheray credit, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman's evidence about the Metronome's dome roof collapsing isn't very substantial in support of climate change, at least he's making moves to improve the city, it's residents and overall liveability. Speaking of liveability, alternative transporation is an essential component. Because many citizens first make the smart choice of living near their occupations, and secondly ride their bicycle to work.... all year long! Yes, that's right, they ride their bike in the winter too! And you also think all of these people are hypocrites. Is that the only thing you write about these days? One day when I grow up and serve on some city committee, commission, or council, I hope I can be featured in a piece of yours.... that would be a real pleasure!(http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_29098754/joe-soucheray-st-pauls-hypocrites-love-bike-lanes)

The tragedy of the local commons

One of the most influential pieces of literature in the fields of environment and political science is the Tragedy of the Commons by Garret Hardin. This writing describes Hardin's take on solving problems related to the overuse and excessive pollution of common goods such as land, air and water. I recently read a piece in my local newspaper, the Chaska Herald, about the local mayors providing updates on their respective cities to the Southwest Metro Chamber of Commerce. The four mayors from Chanhassen, Chaska, Victoria and Carver highlighted projects and successes their cities undertook in the past year and discussed the challenges ahead in the next year. Of these four cities, Victoria is the only city that is a part of the GreenStep cities program. I wandered if the other three mayors were aware of the program and if they had ever read or heard of the Tragedy of the Commons. After reading the four pieces from each mayor, almost all of them highlighted recent successes in new buildings, mostly restaurants, and community growth. Growth is one area that cities need to address related to the Tragedy of the Commons and climate change. While growth can be done, it must be done in an appropriate way. Climate, energy, or the environment were not mentioned in these mayors updates and it is something that should be a priority as they experience and plan for growth. Victoria is the only city that addressed housing as a priority; creating smaller housing unites to attract new homebuyers, smaller homes, and those looking to downsize, rather than large half-a-million dollar homes. Climate change and environmental protection can be addressed locally, but only if mayors and city officials incorporate it into their agendas. It does not even have to be a priority, but should be an area of concern that they address.

Making Observations

At this same time one year ago, nearly 8 inches of snow covered the ground. This year, we have already received two light snowfalls, yet the temperature has risen so much following the snowfall that it rapidly disappears. The temperature drops to below freezing, the Gemini lakes begin to freeze, and then the temperature rises again to 40 degrees. As someone who enjoys winter and colder temperatures, I find myself making keen observations of these weather patterns. It is late November, nearly December and we have no snow and temperatures that would be normal during the fall season.  Clearly our climate is changing and we can see these changes every day, every year. While we see these changes, many of us think very little about this over the holiday season, with millions of people traveling hundreds of miles to visit family and friends, consuming enormous amounts of carbon emissions. When I think of the holiday season, I often think of snow and have memories of sledding, ice skating, warming up by a fire after playing outside and cutting down a snow covered christmas tree. These perceptions are beginning to change as those who live in the northern hemisphere will adapt to snowless holidays. It is these observations that leave me with a sense of sadness, that my own children will not be able to experience what I once did. While we cannot control our weather patterns, we can control our contributions to its warmth. Changing our actions is crucially important not just for our climate and health, but for our everlasting memories of the holiday season and the traditions and habits we hope to instill in future generations.

Resource Guide: Land use and Sustainable Cities

Benfield, Kaid. "What Cities Should Do to Become More Sustainable and Resilient (and It's Not What They Are Doing Currently)."  Switchboard: Natural Resources Defense Council Staff Blog (2010). Published electronically March 30, 2010. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield/what_cities_should_do_to_becom.html

Benfield discusses the current issues that some cities face when it comes to addressing sustainability. Many cities focus their efforts on energy efficiency and conservation when in fact tranpsortation is it's largest source of emissions. Benfield and Warren Karlenzig, founder of the Common Current determine seven rules of thumb for economic vitality and sustainability in cities: Planning, Mobility, Built Environment, Economy, Food, Resources, and Management. Thess actions will provide me with areas of solutions to discuss in my writing.

           

Birch, Eugenie L, and Susan M Wachter. Growing Greener Cities: Urban Sustainability in the Twenty-First Century.  Philadelphia Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008.

Birch and Wachter discuss important topics in their writing to improve urban sustainability. They stress the importane of sustainability throughout a region rather than simply one large city, greening cities through the public realm approach, greening homes, infastructure, financing development, ecosystem services and the evolution of the urban green movement. Through this wide array of topics, these authors conclude key components of what makes cities green.

           

Brugmann, Jeb. Welcome to the Urban Revolution.  New York: Bloomsbury Press, 2009.

Brugmann argues how cities can be transformed to address the problems of the twenty-first century. Through examples and case studies of the worlds most productive, sustainable, and equitable cities, brugmann makes a case for how these cities can be used to transform other cities. Barcelona, Vancouver, and Curitiba Brazil serve as models with practices that can be taken and implemented in cities across the globe.

           

Bulkely, Harriet, and Michelle M Betsill. "Rethinking Sustainable Cities: Multilevel Governance and the Urban Politics of Climate Change." Environmental Politics 14, no. 1 (2005): 42-63.

This journal discusses four key reasons why reducing greenhouse gas emissions is important for urban areas. In addition to these reasons, Bulkely argues for a multilvel governance approach to sustainable city planning for climate change. Within different levels of government, energy conservation is a key issue within urban sustainability. The multilevel government approcah offers two types explained through case studies used to illustrate ingishts for uban sustainability.

Gedikli, Bahar. "The Open Space Contributing to Neighborhood Sustainability through Public Events: A Case from Ankara Turkey."

In this paper, Gedikli explains the benefits of open space for mitigating climate change within urban and suburban neighborhoods. Gedikli explains the benefits of open space related to the quality of life which is then used to explain urban sustainability through the environment, economic, and social justice components. Through a case study of Ankara Turkey, the impacts of open space are identified for community benefits and nieghbohood sustainability.

           

Gill, S.E., J.F. Handley, A.R. Ennos, and E.R. Pauleit. "Adapting Cities for Climate Change: The Role of Green Infrastructure." The Built Environment 33, no. 1 (2007): 115-33.

As the climate continues to change on a daily basis, the authors of this journal discuss the need for green space and green infastructure in great britan. They call for a transition away from the typical mitigation stratagies that many cities currently use, and argue for a transition to green infastrucute made up of greenspace. The biophysical components that greenspace provides positively impacts human health and the health and longevity of urban infastructure. These authors discuss green infastructure as a way of adapting to cities to climate change. 

           

Glaeser, Edward L. Triumph of the City : How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier.  New York: Penguin Press, 2011.

Edward Gleaser’s Triumps of the City, describes how cities are the greatest invention that make humans happier, richer, smarter, greener and wealthier. Gleaser provides a strong framework for how cities serve as sustainable alternatives to address climate change and growing greenhouse gas emissions. This book discusses current city practices that are successful in health, happiness and sustainability and the steps that some cities should make to increase their success.

           

Grant, Jill L. "Theory and Practice in Planning the Suburbs: Challenges to Implementing New Urbanism, Smart Growth and Sustainability Principles." Planning Theory and Practice 10, no. 1 (2009): 11-33.

Grant discusses the theories and planning frameworks used in planning urban areas and suburbs in Canada. She discusses the current theories used in planning suburban areas which are often associaed with unsustainable low density development. Grant specifically discusses the New Urbanism and Smart Growth movements throughout Canada, the pressures that urban planners face and lack of political support for these movements.  

Ling, Ooi Giok, and Belinda Yuen. World Cities: Achieving Livability and Vibrancy.  Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pete. Ltd., 2010.

This book provides a strong framework for planners, activists and governments to use in working towards sustainable urban development. The book focuses on different topics from waste management, transportation, biodiversity and infastructure. Through these issues, the authors ultimate goal is to explain how cities create greater happiness and can achieve vibrancy and liveabilty in a rapidly changing environment. This book will complement the writing of Edward Gleaser and form a substantial portion of my argument in sustianable urban development.

           

Office of Sustainable Communities, Smart Growth Program. "Our Built and Natural Environments: A Technical Review of the Interactions among Land Use, Transportation, and Environmental Quality." 2013.

This comprehensive report provides data from the U.S. Environmental Proetection Agency and other government departments on population projections and metropolitan growth throughout the United States. It explains how the environment is affected by varying forms of transportation and land use, our current scope of greenhouse gas emissions in these aras, and the different processes we can use to move forward in sustainable land use and urban residential sustainability.

           

Peter, Camaren, and Mark Swalling. "Sustainable, Resource Efficient Cities- Making It Happen!", 2012.

This complex report from the United Nations Environmenal Programme provide in depth information on urban infastrucutre and sustainability, 21^st century trends, and steps to take forward to reach our goals. Specific examples from different countries are used to highlight what regions are doing well and what some need to improve upon. This will provide me with a global scope on problems and actions to make cities resource efficient.

           

Smith, Heather. "Suburbs of Chicago and San Francisco Struggle over Who Gets to Live There."  (2015). http://grist.org/cities/suburbs-of-chicago-and-san-francisco-struggle-over-who-gets-to-live-

This article outlines suburban growth in two major urban centers and highlights the environmental justice componet of them. Sustainable cities are not just about the quality of the natural environment, but also about the social justice of who gets to live there and its affordability for the average citizen. This article will provide insight into current problems facing suburban homeowners beyond the environment and sustainability.

           

Thompson, Claire. "The 15 Most Sustainable U.S. Cities."  Grist (2009). Published electronically July 17, 2009. http://grist.org/article/2009-07-16-sustainable-green-us-cities/full/

Thompson provides data on a recent project from 2009 to highlight the most sustainable U.S cities and their current practices. Thompson provides details on the 15 most sustainable U.S Cities from 2009 and highlights the areas that each city focuses on for sustainability and the environment. This will provide me with a good overview of U.S. practices in urban sustainability.

           

"Urban Planning and the Importance of Green Space in Cities to Human and Environmental Health." http://www.hphpcentral.com/article/urban-planning-and-the-importance-of-green-space-in-cities-to-human-and-environmental-health.

This article explains briefly what urban planning is and then describes the importance of green space in urban areas. Green space is important for not only the environment but also for human health and the biodiversity and health of the city. The heart of this argument draws upon the fact of making cities liveable. The better liveability a city has is determined by not only it's ammenities but also it's management and efforts in making it truly sustainable and healthy.

           

Wilson, Jonathan Sinclair, Hamish Ironside, Alison Kuznets, and Andrea Service. "Cities and Climate Change: Global Report on Human Settlements 2011." edited by Naison D. Mutizwa-Mangiza, 1-300. Kenya: United Nations Human Settlements Programme, 2011.

This extensive document outlines urban development and action as a global problem and area of effort. following a history of climate change policy and negotiation, it focuses on areas where cities can improve to adapt and mitigate climate change. This document calls for immediate action amongst nations as well as state and local government action. This report will provide me with in-depth global data on actions regions throughout the world are taking and how developing nations can be successful amidst this time of crisis for city infastructure.

Studying Climate Change through Social Sciences? Integrating varying disciplines of study

Climate change is first and foremost thought of as a scientific discipline. While this is true, scientists do study climate change and collect scientific data on, the study of climate change goes far and beyond solely the physical science discipline. Many social science disciplines study climate change and produce data in a different form that still conveys the impacts or outcomes that climate change can have. One of the most common social disciplines used is Economics. Economists measure risk, and the economic impacts that climate change will have on our society. The damage that is associated with the changing climate often results in the loss of resource (money, food, services) that negatively impact the society. Through collaboration, scientists from all disciplines should work together to properly convey their arguments. Scientific data on the change, associated economic costs, the changing cultural practices that have resulted and business or technical solutions to move forward. The study of climate change is truly an interdisciplinary study if one is to truly understand the breadth of the issue and outcomes. Economists are not scientists, and scientists are not policy makers. Collaboration is key to success in this field.

Campus Climate Change

Much has been to combat climate change on college campuses across the nation. Combating climate change in this way serves as an ideal community to reach out to in making strides toward success. Not only is it important to educate this age demographic on the issues at hand, but it is the college aged students who will serve as future leaders who will be needed to combat the issue. Our generation is the future and thus we need to be educated on climate change. Additionally college campuses serve as an ideal place to spread knowledge about climate change given the large demographic of people who attend colleges. With thousands of colleges located across the united states, there is a significant number of people, both students, faculty, and staff that serve as people to be educated by this issue. College campuses are essentially micro communities that have their own operational systems and reducing greenhouse gas emissions on them would make a significant difference. One of the largest changes college campuses can make to contribute to the issue is working to change the behavior and consumption habits of students. Rather than have students pay their room and board fee, a flat rate that covers everything associated with dining, lodging and comfortable living, students should be charged per amount or item that they use. Students should have to pay for the amount of water, electricity, food, paper products etc that they use. This will essentially force people to change their habits rather than being careless and knowing that their usage is already covered in their payment. Living in an off campus house this year and last summer, I was made much more aware of my consumption. By paying your water, electricity and food bills, one is more aware of their use and pays more attention to conserving water, electricity and minimizing waste. Rather than simply investing in renewable energy sources to be carbon neutral, colleges should work to change the consumption habits of their students to contribute to their reduction in greenhouse gases. This will not only benefit the campus, but the student and the society for generations to come.