#5 Reflections on an issue of urbanization and the role of local government
Green space is a hot topic right now. Rightfully so, if you ask me. Globally, urbanization is taking its toll on the life that seeks to inhabit the area. This is both the life that is indigenous to the area(plants and animals) as well as humans and human introduced life. All of this life is suffering as urbanization occurs unchecked in regards to its environmental sustainability. Pollution levels in major metropolitan areas are reaching such extremes that in 2005 the costs of illness related to air pollution was in the millions of dollars in all 47 regions surveyed in Ontario Canada (Ontario Medical Association). Manila has a reputation for being smog filled, everywhere you look there is an excess of cement and a lack of plants and permeable land. Having exposed soil allows for rain water to absorb into the earth, going through a natural filtration system, utilizing soil to remove many pollutants before the water access the ground source. Having plants enables the air to be cleaned, using the natural photosynthesis system the air is filtered though the plant providing cleaner air for people to breathe. A stunning example would be the difference in air quality between the Philcoa area and UP campus. Philcoa is less than 1 mile from UP. Philcoa is almost completely paved, the smog often is so thick that you can see it and during rain the water quickly builds up filled with pollutants and no place to go. Travel less than 1 mile to the UP campus an area that is 50% green and 50% development and you can instantly tell the difference. The air is regularly transparent and seldom does it flood during the rains. The UP development was pre planned to be a green space.
As an area develops the development planners often give greater importance to designs that generate the most income over designs that will have the least ecological impact. Local governments are key players as urbanization occurs. Here in the Philippines governments are required to create comprehensive land use plans. These plans should incorporate both short and long term growth of an area. A well made land use plan could lay the basis for a future urban area that is not plagued with air pollution. Developing a plan that enables both economic growth and green space requires effort. This initial effort will save the local government in the long term. As a country develops the national government begins to establish environmental standards for its cities. A local government with long term planning can ovoid the costs and struggles many cities thought the world now face at their respective national governments set out environmental standards and they scramble to meet them (American Forests).
Local governments can also control the amount of green spaces by creating regulations and codes for an area that is already on its way to urbanization and is without am environmentally sufficient land use plan. As an area grows it is important for the local government to make technological advancements[1]. Each local government will have to select the technology and software that is correct for them. Software dose exist, one example would be that the United States Forestry service has created eco-efficiency assessment software called CITYgreen that could be used as a tool for the local government to formulate environmental regulations and codes as they urbanize (Huang H-H, Huang H-W, Chang H-S). This software has been effective when implemented in the US. Huston Texas was growing and suffering from high costs of air pollution and storm runoff. The local government in Houston used the CITYgreen software and was able to determine the need to have an urban forester on staff who would develop re-forestation methods for the city(American Forests). Similarly to areas that have not yet experienced urbanization early action on part of the local government will provide savings in the long term, not only in regards to future national environmental policies, but also in terms of health care costs and desirability to live and work in an area.
It would be naive to think that local governments have an easy job as the area begins to urbanize. With well thought out comprehensive land use plans and development plans paired with applicable technological advancements and non government partnerships a local government can effectively guide an area into a successful and desirable urban area. Keeping the environmental quality as a priority will continue to raise in importance as populations continue to grow, demand for pollution emitting objects(such as cars and AC) increases and ground water sources become more heavily used. Model green space cities are being built through the world. A local government who takes lessons from these can become a model for other urbanizing areas.
Works Referenced
American Forests. City Green Calculating the Value of Nature 5.0. Retrieved from http://www.americanforest.org/downloads/citygreen/brochure.pdf Retrieved on Aug 29 2010
Huang H-H, Huang H-W, Chang H-S. (2009)The study of green space ecological benefits of Chiayi City. Real Corp. CITIES 3.0 - Smart, Sustainable, Integrative Strategies, concepts and technologies for planning the urban future. Retrieved From http://www.corp.at/corp_relaunch/papers_txt_suche/CORP2009_59.pdf . Retrieved On Aug 29 2010
Ontario Medical Association (2005) Illness Costs of Air Pollution (ICAP) - Regional Data for 2005 (with projections to 2026). Retrieved From https://www.oma.org/Resources/Documents/2005IllnessCostsOfAirPollution.pdf Retrieved on Aug 29 2010
[1] For an area the is urbanizing one can assume that they have a predictable supply of electricity or other form of power
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