Urban sustainablility

• Sustainable Urban living


  Living in a way that lets people meet their needs now without reducing the ability of people to meet their needs in the future
• Sustainable Urban living results


  • Doesn't irreversibly damage the environment
  • Doesn't use up resources faster than they can be replaced
• Water conservation schemes


  Only take as much water from the environment as can be replaced
• Water conservation schemes


  1. Collect rainwater for use in gardens and toilets

  2. Install toilets that flush less water

  3. Install water meters so people pay for the water they use

  4. Turn off taps
• Energy conservation schemes


  Reduce the use of fossil fuels by promoting renewable energy instead of coal
• Energy conservation schemes


  1. Encourage energy efficient homes

  2. Encourage public transport
• Cities


  • Can be noisy, dirty and hot
• Creating green spaces


  Ensures cities remain places where people want to work and live
• Traffic congestion


  Causes lots of problems in urban areas, not just in convenience, but also environmental, economic, and social problems
• Environmental problems of traffic congestion

  • Increase in air pollution and the release of greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change
• Economic problems of traffic congestion

  • Can make people late for work and delay deliveries, causing company losses
• Social problems of traffic congestion

  • Higher chance of accidents and health issues for pedestrians and cyclists who breathe in polluted air
• Urban transport strategies


  Methods to reduce traffic congestion
• Traffic flow can be reduced by managing the flow of traffic through the city, for example, bus priority lanes which keep traffic away from the city center or parking restrictions which make parked cars don't block roads
• Curitiba's bus system


  • Bi-Articulated buses can have 4000 more people use the buses every day
  • City has a central bus lane which means it is faster on the bus
  • Nobody lives more than 400m away from a bus stop so it is easy for people to choose to use the bus
• Less cars used


  Less gasses like CO2 are released
• Less gasses like CO2 released


  Less contribution to climate change
• Green swap program


  1. People can swap rubbish they collected for fresh fruit and vegetables

  2. Saves people money and improves their health due to less waste and healthy food

  3. Government doesn't have to employ people to collect waste, just provide fresh food which is cheaper

  4. Money saved can be used to improve other areas such as education or transport
• Curitiba's parks and green space


  • Over 28 parks have been created that act as natural flood defences protecting people's homes and businesses
  • Trees act as a carbon sink further reducing contribution to climate change
  • Businesses forced to create urban greening on their land/building or pay extra tax to help produce more green space
  • Tax paid by some businesses put into providing affordable housing for the urban poor