Week08


 * CCT434 Lesson #8 In Class Assignment- More on Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning: Retrofitting Suburbs, and Portland as a city for “Best Practices” for Sustainable Development **
 * Professor Littlejohn **


 * In Class Assignment: More on Transportation- Retrofitting Suburbia and Definitions of Sustainable Transport: **** 1 hour 30 **


 * Overview: ** We are going to a TED talk on reftrofitting suburbia by Ellen Dunham Jones at http://www.ted.com/talks/ellen_dunham_jones_retrofitting_suburbia.html: 19:24


 * Sustainable Development is defined as: “The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Closely following that definition, **


 * Sustainable Transportation is: “The ability to meet the needs of current society to move freely, gain access, communicate, trade, and establish relationships without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” **

Transport systems have significant impacts on the environment, accounting for between 20% and 25% of world energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.[2] Greenhouse gas emissions from transport are increasing at a faster rate than any other energy using sector.[3] Road transport is also a major contributor to local air pollution and smog.[4]

The social costs of transport include road crashes, air pollution, physical inactivity,[5] time taken away from the family while commuting and vulnerability to fuel price increases. Many of these negative impacts fall disproportionately on those social groups who are also least likely to own and drive cars.[6] Traffic congestion imposes economic costs by wasting people's time and by slowing the delivery of goods and services.

Traditional transport planning aims to improve mobility, especially for vehicles, and may fail to adequately consider wider impacts. But the real purpose of transport is access - to work, education, goods and services, friends and family - and there are proven techniques to improve access while simultaneously reducing environmental and social impacts, and managing traffic congestion.[7] Communities which are successfully improving the sustainability of their transport networks are doing so as part of a wider programme of creating more vibrant, livable, sustainable cities.


 * The Natural Step Conditions and Sustainable Transportation **

TNS seeks to reorganize businesses, government, and communities around four “system conditions”:

1. Substances from the Earth’s crust must not systematically increase in the ecosphere. Fossil fuels, metals, and other minerals must not be extracted at a faster pace than they can be redeposited and re-integrated into the Earth’s crust, i.e., turned back into nature’s building blocks.

2. Substances produced by society (man-made materials) must not systematically increase in the ecosphere. Man-made materials must not be produced faster than they can be broken down and integrated back into the cycles of nature, or deposited into the Earth’s crust and turned back into nature’s building blocks.

3. The productivity and diversity of nature must not be systematically diminished. We must not overharvest or reduce our ecosystems in such a way that their productive capacity and diversity are significantly reduced.

4. There must be a fair and efficient use of resources to meet human needs. Basic human needs must be met in the most resource-efficient ways possible. Meeting basic human needs must take precedence over providing luxuries in the richest nations.


 * This is the basis of the Sheridan’s Sustainable Challenge. **

Quoting and paraphrasing liberally from Ray Anderson, CEO of Interface, and the paper “A Compass for Sustainable Development,” by Karl-Henrik Robert, Paul Hawken, Herman Daly, and John Holmberg.

---And then watch how Portland became an example of the best practices as a sustainable city internationally.

Please answer the following questions about the documentaries during class.


 * ‘Retrofitting Suburbia’ Questions Ellen Dunham Jones: **


 * New term: **


 * 1. What is the difference in carbon footprint of the average urban dweller as compared to suburban dweller? **

Carbon footprint of the average urban dweller has about 1/3 the carbon footprint of suburban dweller. The suburban dweller relies more heavily on automobiles as opposed to emissions-free transportation. In addition, suburban dwellers are more likely to reside in detached homes that allow for energy loss and thermal bridging of electricity. In comparison, townhouses and apartments provide housing that is less carbon intensive.

__** 2. Describe the changing demographic in suburbia, and why having a house is no longer sustainable because of this changing demographic. **__

Because of the current gap between Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y, there has been a demographic shift in homeowners. Since 2000, only 1/3 of households have children. The changing demographic is that there is a demographic shift, since 2000, 2/3s of households no longer have children. This is due to the gap of Baby boomers, Gen X and Gen Y (not yet having kids). 75-85% of new households will not have children, huge demand for “urban lifestyle” with jobs in suburbia. Homes no longer accommodate large families and therefore do not perform as a sustainable unit, with uninhabited rooms and a larger (and emptier) home to supply heat for.

===__** 1. Obesity: Currently children have a 1/3 chance of developing obesity. This is partially due to inactivity; with Ellen Dunham Jones' suggestion, children will be able to walk to school in such "walkable pockets." **__===

===__** 2. Affordability: suburban expansion results in expense of 29% in housing 32% in transportation out of total income. By avoiding the suburbs and living in denser areas with workplaces and schools within closer proximity, city life will be more economically feasible. **__===

__ 4. Employment Advantage: Transit oriented development will allow access to jobs for citizens and the prevention of urban sprawl will allow greater accessibility. __

===__** 5. Health and Safety: Using ‘buffers’ (i.e. marshlands) to filter dangerous vehicle run-off removes harmful contaminants from our water supply while also increasing carbon sequestration. By establishing buffers, domestic buildings are diverted from high risk areas which prevents flood damage saves homeowners money and houses away from these areas (risk factors). **__===

__** Questions about e2: transport: e2: transport - Portland: A Sense of Place **__
===__ Portland's city planners have transformed it into a global model of transit-oriented development. Narrated by Brad Pitt at http://ww3.tvo.org/video/162870/e2-transport-portland-sense-place: 25:02 __===

__ In the 1950s and 1960s, the city of Portland, Oregon looked similar to many American __
===__ cities. After the popularization of the automobile, many in the middle class moved out of the city to the suburbs. Much of the economic activity went with them, leaving city centers largely abandoned. Before long, the downsides of life in the suburbs became apparent. With residences, retail outlets and commercial centers separated from each other, people found themselves spending a lot of time in their cars on congested roads. __===

===__ In the 1970s, as a result of the vision of the governor of Oregon at the time, Tom McCall, and a few civic leaders, the city of Portland began its transformation into the sustainable city that it is today. One of the most significant policies instituted by the governor was the first statewide land-use planning system in the country. While its original purpose was to preserve the rural landscape of the state, the introduction of the urban growth boundary is considered by some to be the most important contribution of the law. Within a boundary line that was created around each city in the state, urban development was permitted; the land outside the line was preserved for farm and forest uses. __===

__ Knowing that expansion was not unlimited, the leaders in Portland’s city hall decided to focus on accessibility rather than mobility. They scrapped a planned highway project and __
===__ instead opted for a light rail, which was the first step towards decades of transit-oriented development in Portland. They encouraged business owners to set up shop near transit stops, believing that people would choose public transportation over their cars if they were given a good option. Since that time, the city’s development has been focused on pedestrians. __===

===__ As recently as 1998, the Pearl District, now one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in Portland, was nothing more than an abandoned rail yard. In 2001, bolstered by the success of the light rail, the city built the first modern streetcar line in the country in order to foster development. With leaders like Charlie Hales, a Portland City Commissioner at the time and community members like Michael Powell, the owner of Powell’s Books, developers were convinced that the permanent nature of a streetcar would guarantee the success of the new neighborhood. __=== ===__ Knowing that mixed-use development would benefit the community, the city required new buildings to have ground floor retail space, but not parking. The streetcar has been even more popular than expected. While it was projected to serve 2,800 passengers per day, it now carries 10,000 passengers daily. __===

===__ In the video, residents praise the convenience of the transportation and store-owners remark on the increased business from foot traffic, but perhaps more impressive are the environmental benefits that have resulted from this new pedestrian-friendly Portland. Since 1990, Portland has reduced greenhouse gas emissions related to transportation by 14% and per capita vehicle miles traveled by 17%. In the same time period, public transit rider-ship has increased by 90% and bicycling has increased by 257%. Portland has not achieved these environmental benefits by forcing people out of their cars. Instead, they have provided good public transportation options, made the city pedestrian-friendly and provided bike lanes. The citizens have proven that given the choice, they want to walk, bike, or ride to their destination. The quality of life of Portland’s citizens has improved, as have the local economy and environment. __===

===__ Transit-oriented development favors public transit over personal vehicles, ensuring well-established transit systems via bus, subway, or train. Pedestrian-friendly development accommodates to the needs of pedestrians, ensuring appropriate infrastructure to make this possible and attractive to urban dwellers. TOD allows for walkability and mixed-usage of local venues. Jointly, these developments help to increase sustainability __=== ===__ The transformation of Portland, Oregon from the 1960s to present has been a great success. The reinvention of Portland was achieved by reconsidering their development strategy to curb urban sprawl and maintain efficient land use. The urban growth boundary was put in place to allow urbanization within the boundary while preserving the external areas for natural land conservation. ___===

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 * 5. List some potential benefits and drawbacks to transit-oriented development. **

1. Encourages local commerce; businesses tend to benefit from the on-foot traffic and the "eyes-on-the-street" mentality would provide a safety and security for a shop within the neighborhood.

2. Small implementations ensure that the pedestrian comes first by having wide sidewalks in place and ensuring accommodating bus routes with extensive schedules.

3. Lack of parking could be a deterrent for tourists that are not willing to go without their automobile. That being said, Portland’s modern streetcar could benefit tourists and carries 10 000 people/day.

4. Property values have increased as a result of the increase in the city’s vitality; now Pearle district is subject to gentrification; low income housing has now increased in property value and taxes. The stability of low-income homeowners becomes threatened which may drive people out of the city for the worst of reasons.

1. Charettes: pertaining to the asphalt usage and deterrence of water.
 * 6. What role did community members play in shaping the development in Portland **
 * from the 1970s until today? Use specific examples from the video to support your **
 * answer. **

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 * 7. Why did Charlie Hales think that the streetcar would be more appealing to **
 * developers than another form of public transportation? What are some factors that **
 * developers must consider before building in a neighborhood? What risks and **
 * rewards exist for developers who invest in a new neighborhood? **

Permanent track transportation hardwires the system and encourages buildings to be created around the system. The system is based on assessibility for public transport in order to get to work by foot or by transit. The episode noted a __400% increase in building/home value just by association to the line and access to transit. For instance, the knitting store noticed increased sales as the shop became more visible to citizens and tourists. The densification of the area nurtures businesses. Many people choose to move beside the lightrail streetcar line to gain access__. __The aero streetcar has also enabled developers to make use of a remote location. The developers must consider the the existing city fabric and must seriously take into account the demographic of which they are working. In the case of Portland, the inhabitants affected by the gentrification trend were not adequately considered in the urban development process. The rewards that do exist for developers investing in a new neighbourhood lie in the potential for the area to receive increased vitality, allowing small businesses to thrive and communities to strengthen.__ __** 8. For your major assignment, and your personal experience, could any of these urban planning, and sustainable transit planning principles, be applied to your commute within Oakville and Mississauga? Think of your commute as a whole systems process, analyse each step of your commute, and apply your new understanding of sustainable transport city. (2 paragraphs) **__

_ The sustainable transit planning principles could greatly improve the commute within Oakville and Mississauga. If the area had more accessible "downtown areas" with local businesses as opposed to the nearby department stores, I would be more willing to participate in local commerce. My commute to the UTM campus is fairly straightforward as I live relatively close by (2.5km) walking is very feasible. _

_400 metre max walk to transit

per capita vehicles,

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___sustainability- as burlap future? ‘give up on American dream’ –what is the American dream? Acquisition? OR. Enabling aspirations ? that can be possible, reprogramming us for quality of life__

__ Resiliency – black out – still walk about downtown, without fossil fuels, energy, etc. __

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