Effects Of Green Spaces On The Environment

The world that we have grown up in is changing. By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth’s population will reside in urban areas. This will

Recent data has shown that the world’s total population is doubling; however, the world's urban population is tripling. In the early 1800s, only 2 percent of the world’s population lived in urban areas (Urbanization; an environmental force to reckon with). This is a sharp contrast to what we have today. The promise of ample job opportunities, higher wages, and a better standard of living have been the main luring factors for attracting people into cities. Today about 50 percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas. It is estimated that by 2050 about 60-70 percent of the world’s population will be living in urban areas (Urbanization; an environmental force to reckon with). This growth trend of the urban populace is troubling since it has tremendous bad effects on our environment which in turn has bad effects on our health and well-being.

Smart planning and using green technologies can reduce the impact that urbanization and growing populations puts on the Bay. Pervious paving surfaces reduce the amount of runoff going into the Bay. There are many benefits to using pervious concrete, “these benefits are achieved with the use of an innovative design. Pervious pavement, also referred to as porous or permeable pavement, is actually a system consisting of an open-graded surface layer of concrete, asphalt, or pavers, typically placed over an open-graded aggregate base layer. The pavement structure has a large percentage of void spaces allowing water to permeate through the surface and base at a rate comparable to that of a grass lawn” (Broviak). Strict stormwater control measures have recently been passed in states surrounding the Chesapeake’s watershed, including Maryland, and many require a certain amount of green space or use of green technologies in construction. In addition to the growing use of pervious pavement techniques, other types of stormwater management techniques are gaining popularity. In a thesis paper from University of Maryland, Wilson discusses alternative ways to engineer for the Bay; “By using technologies such as cisterns, green roofs, and constructed wetlands, the built environment can be designed to decrease our need for expensive water purifying infrastructure and preserve the health of fragile estuary ecosystems such as the Chesapeake Bay.” Rain gardens are a viable alternative to storm drains to deal with runoff from impervious areas. A rain garden captures water that would usually run into a storm drain and eventually be discharged into a river and allows it to infiltrate into the ground and for evapotranspiration to occur. In a study done to evaluate how effective rain gardens are at capturing and reducing runoff results were

Since 1900, according to James Gerken, New York City’s average annual temperatures, measured from Central Park, have increased by over 3 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sea levels surrounding the city have risen by over a foot. Resultantly, more extreme precipitation events are expected to occur in the future, such as hurricanes and flooding. The mayor of the city, Bill de Blaiso, announced a sweeping plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050, allegedly making neighborhoods safer from disaster. Unfortunately, projections based on current trends suggest that the sea level could rise by an additional 6 feet by 2100 (Gerken, 2015). Thus, nearly 20% of New York’s 469-square-mile land area could have a 1% chance of flooding in any given year.

To reduce the impacts of sea level rise on storm water drainage systems, pump stations can be used to more effectively collect storm water runoff and direct it to the local waters. Enhancing storm water pumping capacity reduces the likelihood of sewage backup due to sea level rise and flooding. In addition, use of green infrastructure such as bioswales and rain gardens can reduce the impacts of sea level rise on stormwater drainage systems. Bioswales are storm water runoff conveyance systems that can absorb storm water runoff due to heavy rain. Bioswales filter the stormwater and store the water, and hence, reduce the pressure on sewage systems during heavy rainfalls and flooding. Rain gardens can be used as effective landscape elements to reduce storm water runoff. When implemented as landscape components of different city facilities and buildings, rain gardens can effectively reduce stormwater runoff and reduce the pressure on drainage systems under sea level

The Avon Heathcote area has suffered extensive damage from the 2011 earthquakes which has caused land surrounding the Avon-Heathcote Estuary to drop by 20 to 50 cm as described in figure 4. This combined with the expected sea level rise has left some areas vulnerable to flooding. However, housing in this area was not red zoned and more than 1300 homes are at risk. A flood in this area is largely due to water flowing freely from the river and sea into the estuary. The council wants a solution to be formed which will reduce the risk of flooding in the area. There are multiple constraints that need to be assessed when determining a solution. These constraints include: social, environmental, economical and physical factors.

The following case study of Wynyard Quarter located New Zealand, within the western portion of Auckland City’s waterfront aims to look at the effectiveness of stormwater management within the area. Wynyard Quarter houses a mix of residential, retail and commercial establishments. Further development plans show that a variety of construction work will be undertaken to show-off a world class destination that celebrates pacific and maritime culture as well as ensure the project is developed in an environmentally friendly manner through the use of water sensitive design approaches integrated into the street network and public realm projects. Waterfront Auckland have set a target of removing 80% of total suspended sediment from stormwater, with adopted low impact design approaches that include a comprehensive network of rain gardens for treating stormwater to filter out stormwater. Rain gardens are very effective in minimising stormwater peak, reducing contaminant and sediment discharge to the sea and provides irrigation for street vegetation. The key principles of a water sensitive city include minimising the movement of potable water and wastewater to and from areas outside of the city, maximising the efficiency of use of water resources within the city, maximising the range of water sources that the city has access to, Providing ecosystem services for the manmade and natural environment, and political and social support for

Zimmerman believes that lower elevation facilities and buildings are at a high risk of flooding, and the infrastructure’s risk increases annually due to climate change. Already, one can infer that a stronger storm would contribute to flooding.

As a species that continues to evolve and expand on this planet, humans have made many lasting impacts to their home. Some of these changes often go generally unnoticed, such as the shift in popular music, or fashion trends. Even transitions from job to job, or relocating to a new city seem to weigh lightly on the general public. However, unbeknownst to us, we as a species have a far greater impact on this planet than we would like to admit. Throughout our day-to-day lives we tend to unknowingly impact and mold or future. It can be something as simple as forgetting to recycle that jug of milk, or neglecting to clean up a spill after a self-done oil change. Even the foods we eat and the way we manufacture them have a lasting effect on the planet. Perhaps one of the more noticeable ways we as a society affect the Earth though is how we build upon it. With much of the global population centralized in urban areas, and there continued growth. It is interesting to observe the way in which this urbanized land reacts to human interference. One of the more interesting aspects of urbanization is the use and management of water. With the continued expansion of cities, and the modification of the land in which these concrete jungles cover, changes to land are inevitable. In his book “Urban Storm Water Management,” Hormoz Pazwash briefly summarizes some of the impacts urbanization has to land, and water quality stating. “Urban development alters the natural process of storm water runoff.

In spite of this gloom, many urban planning experts have demonstrated that those who create the built environment, actually have the number-one means of reducing energy use and GHG emissions—and, at the same time, giving the market what it wants. Urbanism is, in fact, the single most potent weapon against climate change, rising energy costs, and environmental degradation.

I feel that the contactors and engineers who were given the responsibility to plan and establish the drainage system in the City did not professionally carry out their work as they were expected. The drainage channels and pipes should also be frequently maintained to ensure that they don’t block. More dams in the city that would accommodate excess water when it rains should also be constructed. In addition, the water sensitive urban design should also be deployed to reduce the run-off in the city and allow filtration into the ground water. If all these measures are taken into place, then I strongly believe that the residents of this city will lead a comfortable life free of floods and water-borne diseases. The economic activities in the town are also expected to increase significantly if the drainage system is rectified and modified together with other conditions that accelerated incidence of floods in the

into the city’s overall landscape. It is a way of adaptation when fortifying infrastructure does not suffice. Still, the building will need a type of flood-proofing substance to keep water out. These

Today 's date September 20, 2016, currently I note 1800 hours on the dot during a Tuesday evening. So far the nights weather seems warm, with a high of eighty, slightly overcast with a slight breeze. The weatherman is calling for some rain and thunderstorms for the surrounding areas. Hopefully, it doesn 't rain while we excavate this site, making it nearly impossible to accomplish what we came here for. Now to describe the site; landscape has a mixture of big boulders with smaller rocks throughout the site. There are two big trees, one on the north side of the property and the other one located on the south side of the property. The site has a six-foot high brick and mason fence surrounding the property. Possibly using the fence line to keep it privatize, or to keep wild animals from entering the property. The fence has collapsed and deteriorated in some areas surrounding the property. A variety of plants and shrubs have also caught my eye as another observation. At one point plants were planted along the fence, possibly to help with shade or privacy. The type of plants that I observe are possibly the kinds that creep along fences with bushes strategically placed along the property. What I gather is a sitting area with a small fire pit in the center. There 's a good chance it was used for cooking and or possibly to maintain warm at night. To the right of the fire pit, it appears to have been some sort of covering that existed. The Covering was possibly used to block the

Flooding seems to be getting worse and worse each year, which is taking its toll on the city’s masonry and foundations. It is has become so severe, that many residents of Venice have evacuated their ground floor. There is a clear link between the increase in Venice’s flooding, the melting of polar ice caps, and the warming of the ocean. The city’s sea level has raised 5 inches since the year 1900. In contrast, over the last 1000 years the city’s sea level has only raised 1 foot. Due to the recent acceleration of

Right now the Netherlands is protected from flooding based on a strong and extensive network of dykes, dams and dunes, spreading along Rhine Estuary-Drechtsteden
, southwest delta, Ijsselmeer region, rivers, coastal area and Wadden region. In order to keep more people and more economic value safe, Dutch people are rebuilding their infrastructure now and in a long term in these six regions. The next five chapters will focus on the innovative spatial strategy with specific approach following each section.