Chapter 14 of Roseland: Tools for a Sustainable Community
This chapter discussed the many planning and assessment tools to move towards a sustainable community. Some tools can be conducted at the local level by citizen groups, but some need to be utilized at higher levels such at the government level. The search conferences under the community planning tools seemed to be described as similar to a charrette. I think it would be beneficial for BCOS to hold a charrette or a search conference to formulate a sustainability vision for Bloomington. Once a sustainability vision was formed BCOS will have set targets, goals and can establish projects from grant and government money to achieve them.
Roseland mentions many useful technical tools such as an ecological footprint analysis, environmental space, community based state-of-the environment reporting and sustainability reporting. An ecological footprint analysis of Bloomington will inform us to what extend of a negative impact Bloomington has on the environment. The analysis will also tell what areas (such as residential, business, government, food, transportation, energy) have the largest environmental impact. The ecological footprint analysis measures unsustainability by the degree to which the footprint of human activities exceeds the total productive area. This chapter holds great information for BCOS and the city government on tools and examples from other cities on community sustainable projects. We have utilized some of these tools in class such as the SWOT analysis. Bloomington have made some community sustainability efforts and tools that this chapter mentions such as an environmental audit, with the upcoming community household energy audit event. As well Bloomington has used the technical tool of an environmental impact assessment through the publication of the Peak Oil Report.
Wheeler: Visions of Sustainable Community
This was an interesting and section of the book, where the readings were author's visions of the future and how the world will be the effect sustainability and the sustainable movement will have on communities. I liked the visions for most of the readers but the way in which Wheeler connected people's drive to be sustainable and eco-friendly to religion was strange. I thought is especially weird that he made up a future religious figure, Pope John XXIV or the "Green Pope." Other then that Wheeler's vision of the 23rd century was quite entertaining. I was glad to read that we had not all died in the apocalypse of 2012. I think it was feasible to predict that we currently did not act fast enough of take the necessary pre-cautionary actions to prevent the affects of global warming. I was expecting more exciting technology like the ability of beam ourself to different locations so cars of car-like vehicles would not longer be in use.
I was impressed with Callenbach's vision of Ecotopia because from writing in 1975 he actually envisioned many things that are currently in effect. I have never been to San Francisco after this reading i really want to go and hope it its as lovely, sustainable and bike and pedestrian friendly as Callenbach's vision. I do know that San Francisco has an excellent public transportation system utilizing all mediums such as trolley cars, subway and bus. I don't think that SanFrancisco has car-free zones but there are some cities that do, such as in Austria, Germany, Denmark and Greece. Personally i wish that all of the old electric trolley cars would come back into cities. I know there used to be a trolley system in Philadelphia which has practically died out. There are a few trolley routes left in the city but not many. the trolley's would reduce cars on the road and reduce use of oil from cars and buses.
I found this super cool video about a future green and sustainable city that is currently being build called Masdar City. It is a planned city that is being built by Abu Dhai Future Energy Company, a subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, where the majority of seed capitol is being provided by the government of Abu Dhai.
There is a video about the city have is short but i couldn't get it embedded into the blog. But you can click on the blog to view the video.This video is around 3 minutes.
Masdar City Video
Or you can view the 6 minute video below:
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