Environmental Science: Toward a

Sustainable Future
Richard T. Wright

Chapter 23
Sustainable Communities and
Lifestyles
PPT by Clark E. Adams
Trenton Brownfield Site
Sustainable Communities and
Lifestyles
 Urban sprawl
 Urban blight
 Moving toward sustainable communities
 Toward the common good
Urban Sprawl

 Sprawl: extension of city perimeters

outward in the countryside, one
development after the next, with little plan
as to where the expansion is going and no
notion as to where it will stop.
The Origins of Urban Sprawl

 Post–World War II demand for consumer

goods: cheap cars and gas
 Housing boom with low mortgage rates
 Highway Trust Fund
Impact of Highway Trust Fund
The Flight Continued

 The results of a car-dependent lifestyle

City Suburbs Exurbs

Measuring Sprawl

 Residential density
 Neighborhood mix of homes, stores, and
workplaces
 Accessibility of the street networks
 Strength of activity centers and
downtowns
Sprawl Scores: Low Scores Mean High
Sprawl (see Table 23-2)
Conversion of Land to Developed Uses
Impacts of Urban Sprawl: Environmental
Environmental Impacts of Urban Sprawl:
Simplify and Destabilize!

Photos by C. E. Adams
Impacts of Urban Sprawl: Quality of Life

 Higher vehicle ownership and driving

mileage
 Greater risk of fatal accidents
 Lower rates of walking and lessened use
of mass-transit facilities
Impacts of Urban Sprawl: Quality of Life

 No change in congestion delays

 Higher costs for municipal services
 Higher incidence of obesity and high blood
pressure
Benefits of Urban Sprawl

 Lower-density residential living

 Larger lot sizes
 Larger single-family homes
Benefits of Urban Sprawl

 Better quality public schools

 Lower crime rates
 Better social services
 Greater opportunity to participate in local
governments
Reining in Urban Sprawl: Smart Growth

 “Smart Growth”: forces communities to

purposely choose to develop in more
environmentally sustainable ways.
 Sets boundaries on urban sprawl
 Saves open space
 Develops existing urban space
 Creates new towns
Urban Blight

 Economic and ethnic segregation

 The vicious cycle of urban blight
 Economic exclusion of the inner city
 Urban blight in developing countries
 What makes cities livable?
Indicators of Urban Decay

 Economic and ethnic segregation

 Eroding tax base
 Loss of social services
 Lowered property values
 Higher property taxes
 Deterioration of central city infrastructure
Segregation by Exurban Migration: White
Flight
The Vicious Cycle of Urban Blight
Economic Exclusion of the Inner City
Urban Blight in Developing Countries

 Slum communities
 No utility services
 No land ownership
 Crime and disease are endemic
 Expected to continue growing into middle of
century
 Continually overwhelmed by influx of rural
immigrants
Slum Community Needs

 Home security
 More jobs

 Cheap transportation

 Government representation

(Slum Dwellers International – SDI at

http://www.sdinet.org)
What Makes Cities Livable?

 Integrated living, working, and recreational

spaces
 Affordable housing
 Provisions for pedestrian and bicycle
traffic
 Protection of sensitive habitats
What Makes Cities Livable?
What Makes Cities Livable?

 Reduced outward sprawl

 Reduced automobile traffic
 Improved access by foot or bicycle
 Mass transit
What Makes Cities Livable?

 High population density

 Heterogeneity of residences and business
 People meet people, not cars
Moving toward Sustainable Communities

 Sustainable cities
 Proximity of people to residences, shops, and
workplaces
 Use of solar energy
 Self-sufficiency in provision of food
 Stable population
Sustainable Communities

 Renovation and
recycling
 Greenways
development
 Reclaimed waterways
 New industries
Toward the Common Good

 Intergenerational equity
 Set national goals for sustainable
development
 Reduce conflict between business and
environmental groups
 Individual responsibility
The Common Good

 Compassion
 Concern for justice
 Honesty
 Frugality
 Humility
 Neighborliness
Lifestyle Changes

 Individual lifestyle changes

 Political involvement
 Membership and participation in NGO
environmental organizations
 Volunteer work
 Career choices
End of Chapter 23