Urbanism and smart growth are great for cities, people, and "the environment"—but neighborhood impacts must be mitigated. Kaid Benfield gives pointers on balancing the scales.
"I spend virtually all my professional time thinking about the intersection of human settlement and environmental sustainability. I am particularly interested in the built environment of American cities, towns, and suburbs – what I like to call our people habitat – and how it relates to the natural world. How can we make these two realms – people habitat and natural habitat – more harmonious? These issues are acutely on my mind today because I am preparing a talk I have been invited to deliver early next month on Urbanism and Sustainability."
Through this lens, Benfield goes on to discuss:
- The scales of urban sustainability
- Growth challenges ahead
- The geography of impacts from traffic
- Similar issues for watersheds
And wraps up by forecasting where balancing the scales between cities and the environment might take us.
Read the full story: Balancing the Scales of City Sustainability
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One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
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