2.3.4

Sustainable Urbanisation

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Sustainable Urban Living

Sustainable living involves a lifestyle, wellbeing, transport, water, and energy set-up which can be continued forever. Below are 4 ways that can make urban life more sustainable:

Water conservation

Water conservation

  • The average one-person household in the UK needs 149 litres of water per day to keep their lifestyle going. In the USA, people use 575 litres and in Mexico, people use 366 litres.
  • Water conservation schemes aim to cut the water used in an area.
  • The Bilbao Arena in Spain captures rainwater and uses it to water and irrigate the football pitch below.
Water conservation continuation

Water conservation continuation

  • Great Barrier House in New Zealand collects rainwater and uses it for running water and for flushing toilets.
  • Inventors have created new taps that do not run freely and water meters allow us to monitor our water usage.
  • The California Academy of Sciences uses seawater when they need water for purposes other than drinking.
Energy conservation

Energy conservation

  • Energy conservation schemes aim to use renewable sources of energy and avoid burning fossil fuels to create heat and energy.
    • Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is the most energy efficient city in the world. They use geothermal and hydroelectric power and their buses are hydrogen-powered.
    • Vancouver, Canada aims to be the most efficient city by the 2020s. They use solar, wind and hydroelectric power to harness energy and encourage bikes and car-sharing to reduce transport emissions.
Energy conservation continuation

Energy conservation continuation

  • Governments in Europe, particularly in Norway, subsidise Electric Vehicles like Teslas because they are better for the environment.
  • Making houses energy efficient (better insulated and installing solar panels) and encouraging people to use public transport makes cities more sustainable.
Creating green space

Creating green space

  • Green spaces are supposed to be good for mental health and encourage exercise (which reduces the chances of having poor mental health by 6%).
  • Doing exercise improves people's physical well-being and reduces the risk of obesity-linked diseases.
  • Green spaces are also positive for the environment.
    • Air pollution is lower in green spaces and flood risk falls because the green space cuts surface runoff after rain.
Examples of green spaces

Examples of green spaces

  • Valencia in Spain has a park running all around the city.
  • Central Park is a big green space in New York City.
Waste recycling

Waste recycling

  • Lagos in Nigeria does not have a good recycling system and lots of waste ends up in the Olusosun landfill site.
  • Singapore's recycling programme creates enough energy from recycling waste to power 1,000 homes.
  • A good recycling system involves easy sorting of what can be recycled and what can't, easy collection, low contamination of recycling waste and the infrastructure to actually recycle after collection.
  • Frequent waste and recycling collections are helpful in large cities.
Jump to other topics
1

Physical Geography

1.1

River Environments

1.1.1Weathering1.1.2Mass Movement1.1.3Erosion1.1.4Transportation1.1.5Deposition1.1.6River Landforms: Waterfalls & Gorges1.1.7River Landforms: Interlocking Spurs1.1.8River Landforms: Flood Plains1.1.9River Landforms: Point Bars1.1.10River Landforms: Levees1.1.11River Landforms: Meanders1.1.12River Landforms: Oxbow Lakes1.1.13River Landscape Changes: Long Profile1.1.14River Landscape Changes: Cross Profile1.1.15Vertical & Lateral Erosion1.1.16Flood Risk Factors1.1.17Human Activities on Rivers1.1.18River Management: Hard Engineering1.1.19River Management: Soft Engineering1.1.20Case Study: The River Eden - Landforms1.1.21Case Study: The River Eden - Climate1.1.22Case Study: The River Eden - Geology1.1.23Case Study: The River Eden - Management1.1.24Case Study: The River Eden - Human Activity1.1.25End of Topic Test - River Environments
1.2

Coastal Environments

1.2.1Weathering1.2.2Mass Movement1.2.3Erosion1.2.4Deposition1.2.5Longshore Drift1.2.6Sediment Transportation1.2.7Wave Action on Coasts1.2.8Other Factors Influencing Coasts1.2.9Coastal Landforms: Wave-cut Platforms & Cliffs1.2.10Coastal Landforms: Headlands & Bays1.2.11Coastal Landforms: Caves, Arches & Stacks1.2.12Coastal Deposition1.2.13Spits, Bars & Sand Dunes1.2.14Human Activity on Coasts1.2.15Coastal Defences: Hard Engineering1.2.16Coastal Defences: Soft Engineering1.2.17Coastal Defences: Managed Retreat1.2.18Case Study: Holderness Coast Overview1.2.19Case Study: Holderness Coast Management1.2.20Case Study: Holderness Coast Defences1.2.21End of Topic Test - Coastal Environments
1.3

Hazardous Environments - Tropical Cyclones

1.3.1Characteristics of a Tropical Cyclone1.3.2Structure of a Tropical Cyclone1.3.3Physical Hazards of Tropical Cyclones1.3.4The Impacts of Tropical Cyclones1.3.5Responses to Tropical Cyclones1.3.6Vulnerability to Tropical Cyclones1.3.7Preparing for Tropical Cyclones1.3.8Case Study: Katrina1.3.9Case Study: Nargis
1.4

Hazardous Environments - Earthquakes & Volcanoes

1.4.1Earthquakes1.4.2Features of an Earthquake1.4.3Types of Earthquake1.4.4Case Study: L'Aquila1.4.5Case Study: Chile1.4.6Case Study: Japan & Pakistan - Planning1.4.7Volcanoes1.4.8Types of Volcanoes1.4.9Volcanic Eruptions
2

Human Geography

2.1

Economic Activity & Energy

2.1.1Increasing Energy Consumption2.1.2Non-Renewable Energy - Nuclear2.1.3Non-Renewable Energy - Fossil Fuels2.1.4Renewable Energy - Solar2.1.5Renewable Energy - Water & Bio2.1.6Renewable Energy - Hydro2.1.7Energy - Statistical Skills
2.2

Rural Environments

2.2.1Rainforests2.2.2Temperate Forests2.2.3Characteristics of a Temperate Forest2.2.4Goods & Services in Temperate Forests2.2.5Deserts2.2.6Tundra
2.3

Urban Environments

2.3.1Urbanisation in Different Countries2.3.2Causes of Urbanisation2.3.3Consequences of Urbanisation2.3.4Sustainable Urbanisation2.3.5Case Study: Rapid Urbanisation in Mexico City2.3.6End of Topic Test - Urbanisation
3

Global Issues

3.1

Fragile Environments & Climate Change

3.1.1Natural Causes of Climate Change3.1.2Effects of Climate Change on the Environment3.1.3Effects of Climate Change on People3.1.4Impacts of Deforestation3.1.5End of Topic Test - Climate Change3.1.6Increasing Water Supply3.1.7Sustainable Rainforest Management
3.2

Globalisation & Migration

3.2.1Globalisation - Transport3.2.2Globalisation - Communication Networks & Banking3.2.3Push & Pull Factors3.2.4TNCs & Globalisation3.2.5Tourism Landscapes3.2.6The Growth of Tourism3.2.7The Economic Benefits of Tourism3.2.8The Social & Cultural Benefits of Tourism3.2.9The Economic Costs of Tourism3.2.10The Social & Cultural Costs of Tourism3.2.11Managing Tourism - Sustainability3.2.12Managing Tourism - Quotas & Tourism Hubs
3.3

Development & Human Welfare

3.3.1Ways of Defining Development3.3.2Different Ways of Measuring Development3.3.3Environmental Factors Causing Uneven Development3.3.4Historical Factors Causing Uneven Development3.3.5Economic Factors Causing Uneven Development3.3.6Patterns of Development3.3.7How Can we Reduce the Global Development Gap?3.3.8Top-Down & Bottom-Up Development

Practice questions on Sustainable Urbanisation

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Which of these nations uses the most water per person per day?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Which of these is NOT a benefit of creating green spaces in cities?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    Which is the most energy efficient city in the world?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    What are the main strategies for making cities more sustainable?Fill in the list
  5. 5
    Benefits of Green Spaces:Fill in the list
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Consequences of Urbanisation

Case Study: Rapid Urbanisation in Mexico City