Big City Sustainability Conclusion
My research of sustainable efforts of six big cities in the United States has shown me the importance of ecological democracy regarding sustainability . We are at an environmental point of reckoning in this country and the municipalities of America’s big cities are gearing up to lead us into a sustainable future. They all have similar goals: the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, develop local economy, and energy diversification. They also have concerns about the current economic crisis in this country, and how it is taking its toll on municipal budgets. It is going to take more than just financial sacrifice, strong leadership and bold moves to meet the goals necessary for sustainability in these big cities. It’s going to take a shift in cultural values, and respect for the needs of others to motivate real environmental change.
Of the six cities I researched, three stood out as models for other cities around the country. New York and Chicago both have powerful mayors with abilities to organize and execute municipal plans like CEO’s of major corporations. They also run cities with vast municipal resources and residents who can afford and are willing to pay for the implementation and maintenance of sustainable systems. Denver also has a powerful municipality that is making bold moves to become an urban environmental example. The city’s call to switch from coal-fired power plants to natural gas is provocative and shows that Denver is willing to make the tough choices needed to combat climate change. All three cities are using their unique qualities to not only help them become greener, but help build their individual municipal economies. Chicago is becoming an international hub for wind energy companies, New York’s dense neighborhoods and boroughs are attracting tourists and residents exponentially, and many cities will use the climate change policies of Denver as a roadmap to reduce global warming. These cities are competing with each other to become the country’s leader in urban sustainability.
New Orleans, Phoenix, and Oakland are three cities that I found to have issues that override their sustainable efforts. Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans hard and has stalled not only its efforts to become greener, but has wiped out basic municipal services altogether. Phoenix has a long history of progressive sustainable efforts that have been part of its municipality for decades. However, the recent housing bust and political upheaval are threatening the future of Phoenix’s municipal programs. In spite of Oakland’s strong leadership, historical urban sustainable systems, and a recent economic boom, the city’s economic and racial injustices still overshadow any environmental progress. New Orleans, Oakland, and Phoenix each have solar energy programs that have potential, but these cities are playing catch up when compared to the other cities I have researched. They don’t have the money, leadership, and overall public will to implement any real progressive sustainable municipal system. These three cities are relying on major help from their local state and the federal government to get them through their respective budget crisis.
When I began my research of these six cities, I thought I would come across a new and revolutionary state of the art technology that could be implemented across the country for a greener future. I did not find the sustainable magic bullet, but I did learn more about the people of America than I anticipated. I have come to realize that if we don’t have a substantial level of social and economic justice, there is no way we can achieve true ecological democracy. The technology to reduce global greenhouse emissions and provide cities with diversified sustainable energy has been around for decades. The cities I have researched either have the technologies, or access to resources that can dramatically update their infrastructure and improve their sustainability efforts. Real ecological democracy however, requires fairness, adaptability, and connectedness with each other. These values are in sharp contrast to current trends of rigid idealism, social injustice, and societal needs for larger, more exclusive personal spaces. I’m starting to find correlations between human rights and the rights of nature. Our collective goals and the way we treat each other reflects the way we treat our environment. I’m curious to visit the cities I researched and meet the people who live in them. I will be able to see the municipal plans in action, and see for myself where these cities are in achieving their individual sustainable goals.
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