Technology, environmentalism, and citizen engagement in future urbanism

¶ … cities, suburbs, and metropolitan areas in the next 25 years include technology, environmentalism, and citizen engagement. Technology is already a significant aspect of urban life. The phrase \"smart city\" is now a popular phrase, owing to the remarkable technological advances made in the last few decades. In the future, technology will be an important driver of urbanism, replacing many manual jobs and ushering efficient utilization of time. Technology will not only influence every day processes such as public service provision and shopping, but also shape how urban dwellers experience urban areas. Environmentalism will also have a significant influence on urbanism in the future. Commuting, sustainable building, green spaces, renewable energy, ecological waste management, and other aspects of environmentalism will be norms; all in an effort to promote environmental sustainability. Citizen engagement will influence urbanism in the next quarter century by placing citizens at the centre of urban change, especially in terms of urban planning and policy.

Question 4

Taking this course has significantly shaped my views about urbanism. My concept of the ideal urban environment is now somewhat different from what I previously believed. For me, an ideal urban environment is not necessarily an environment adorned by skyscrapers or where everyone owns a car. A perfect urban environment is one that promotes the overall wellbeing of all its dwellers. It provides for the physical, economic, social, and psychological needs of those that live in it. It provides equal access to economic opportunities and social amenities, quality air, security, as well as spaces for relaxation, physical activity, and social interaction. That is the kind of urban environment I would like to live in. Regrettably, my desires could be a little bit farfetched as most urban areas fall short of these attributes, either in quantity or in quality. Congestion, traffic, air pollution, garbage, crime, and homelessness are still common aspects in most cities today, making life quite unpleasant for most urban dwellers. All the same, the future promises hope.

Question 6

A particularly interesting issue for me is urban planning. Urban planning is essentially concerned with the design, development, and use of the urban environment with the aim of ensuring the welfare of the public. It involves aspects such as land use, infrastructural establishment, and environmental protection. Majority of the problems we have in urban areas today can be attributed to poor urban planning. From traffic congestion and housing problems to crime, poverty, social inequality, pollution, and floods, urban planning plays a contributory role in one way or another. This underscores the importance of sound urban planning. Indeed, urban planning has historically been a vital subject. If present and future urban areas have to address the aforementioned problems, they must start with urban planning. Whereas there could be other factors behind the problems, urban planning provides an important starting point. Effective urban planning ensures optimal allocation of resources, which is essential for alleviating majority of the problems that continue plaguing urban areas.

Question 7

One of the contentious issues in urban planning and policy relates to transport. Roads dominate transport in most urban areas. Regrettably, the development of transport infrastructure has not adequately considered public transport and cycling. This has largely contributed to traffic congestion and environmental pollution by increasing the number of vehicles on the road. Cycling is increasingly being viewed as a valuable way of addressing traffic congestion and environmental pollution in urban areas. Reduced cars on the road can also minimise road mishaps, enhance physical health, and boost social interaction. On the other hand, however, cycling may not necessarily be the solution to the problems created by road transport, especially traffic congestion. Indeed, cycling may increase collisions between vehicles and bicycles. More importantly, the argument that cycling reduces traffic congestion is made with the assumption that citizens will automatically shift to cycling. This may not be necessarily true as changing public behaviour can be difficult. All the same, with a change of guard at the White House, cycling initiatives in the U.S. may gain greater momentum.

Question 9

In his article, \"Criteria for judging the quality of the urban environment,\" Hans Blumenfeld identifies various aspects of urban-metropolitan development. According to Blumenfeld, an urban environment offers a space for living, for economic activity, for enjoyment, and for social interaction. There is a great deal of truth in Blummenfeld\'s assertion. Indeed, all urban activities fall under any of these four categories -- from housing to business, transport, as well as leisure and recreation. The activities are heavily intertwined and virtually every urban dweller participates in all of them almost every day. More importantly, the nature of the activities dictates the quality of life and level of development in the urban environment. For instance, economic activities influence income levels, housing affordability, commuting, work-life balance, and so on. Without economic activities, therefore, urban dwellers will not be able afford decent housing, food, health care, and social amenities, which may in turn lower the quality of life. Overall, Blummenfeld\'s article provides important implications for urban planning and policy.

Question 10

Lewis Mumford in his article, \"What is a city?\" views the city as a social institution. He describes the city as \"a theatre of social action,\" where everything that happens in it has a social connotation -- from commerce and politics to education and art. This is in fact the core of urban sociology. As a social institution, the city brings together a collection of people with a shared purpose. The purpose is this case can be broadly termed as making a living. Though urban dwellers are involved in an array of activities, their life generally revolves around earning a living. With financial capacity, people can afford houses, food, education, healthcare, as well as luxury. Since the urban dwellers tend to be bound by a common objective, makes the city a social institution in itself. The social character of the city further emanates from the fact that its physical organisation (buildings, parks, industries, infrastructure, and so forth) often reflects the social need of its dwellers. Viewing the city as a social institution can change the way issues such as urban planning, poverty, and infrastructural development are tackled.

Question 12

My experiences as a citizen in the contemporary urban world have significantly shaped my ideas and thoughts about urban life. Today, I view the urban environment as a complex system, indeed much more complex than apparent. One has to be aggressive and competitive to survive in the complexity that the urban structure poses. There is spirited competition in virtually every aspect of urban life -- education, work, business, politics, social interaction, transport, and so forth. It is only the strongest that thrive in such an environment. In fact, urban life can be likened to a jungle where survival is only for the fittest. I strongly believe this worldview will be of great influence to my thoughts and personal choices in the future. This is particularly true in terms of residence, work, and social interaction. The worldview will serve as a springboard for my academic, professional, and social lives.

Question 13

In 2007, Michael Bloomberg, then New York City mayor, introduced Planyc, an ambitious plan aimed at transforming the city to a greener and greater city by 2030. Key focus areas of the plan include public transport, energy efficiency, water and quality, land use, as well as environmental sustainability. These are important areas as far as urban planning is concerned. Indeed, amidst criticism, the plan has led to greater public awareness of climate change, reduced energy use in government buildings, painting of bike lanes, and planting of more trees in the city, among other monumental successes. An important focus of Bloomberg\'s plan was to make roads and streets within the city and its neighbourhoods friendlier for walking and cycling. Hundreds of miles of bike lanes have already been painted. In Melrose, one of the major neighbourhoods in the Bronx borough, there are now more bike lanes than in previous years. This has increased cycling activity, evidently demonstrating that Bloomberg\'s plan is positively affecting the lives of New Yorkers.

Question 14

Whereas Bloomberg\'s plan focused on sustainability and resiliency, his successor\'s plan places emphasis on economic and social equity. Mayor De Blasio desires to make New York City a city that provides socioeconomic equality for all while at the same time addressing environmental and sustainability challenges. The prudence in Blasio\'s departure are apparent. It is quite unrealistic to address environmental sustainability without addressing socioeconomic stability. New York City has worrying levels of poverty and one of the highest income inequalities in the country. How would New Yorkers participate in environmental sustainability when a substantial proportion of them are still jobless and homeless? This must have been the major question bothering Blasio when formulating his plan for the city. Urban dwellers are likely to care about the environment when they are economically empowered. If properly implemented, Blasio\'s plan has the potential to achieve more than that suggested by Bloomberg. It will achieve environmental and socioeconomic stability at the same time, a big advantage compared to the previous plan.