# data[].attributes.body
Smart Growth Strategies

Mixing land uses: having residential buildings, office spaces, and public areas (malls, parks, etc) in the same place

Green belting: Have lots of green areas surrounding urban areas

Wildlife corridors: connects areas of wilderness in urban places (having a green overpass/bridge over a road)

Urban growth boundaries: a regional boundary used to control urban sprawl

Compact building design (vertical vs sprawling)

- Creating walkable, bike-friendly, public-transport friendly neighborhoods

- Preserving open space, farmland, and critical environmental areas

- Providing options (housing, transport)

- Encouraging community and stakeholder collaboration (like in the Loess plateau doc)

- Recycle/reuse waste

- Grow food locally

# data[].attributes.body
Characterized by low population density in an urban area, It is when a city expands and takes more land to be a larger city in area. It causes an increase in driving cars and cutting down trees and ruining wildlife. Usually caused by poor city planning.

# data[].attributes.body
Is the geographic expansion of cities and towns, often characterized by low-density housing, single use zoning (everyday uses are separated), and an increased reliance on private automobiles to get in to the city.
New Urbanism--> focuses on the physical design of communities to create livable and walkable cities

# data[].attributes.body
How to Reduce Urban Runoff

Buy "environmentally safe" household cleaners

Properly store all toxic materials

Take all unwanted hazardous materials and containers to local collection sites

Use kitty litter or other absorbent to remove spills from pavement

Use pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers sparingly and carefully

Use a broom instead of a hose to clean up yard clippings

Pick up animal wastes and dispose of them in garbage cans

Take used motor oil and antifreeze to a recycling center or hazardous waste collection center

Reduce leakage of oil, antifreeze and other fluids from your car by regular inspections and maintenance

# data[].attributes.body
Urban runoff is surface runoff of rainwater, landscape irrigation, and car washing created by urbanization. Urban runoff or 'storm drain pollution' is one of the leading causes of water pollution. Urban areas may contain up to 90 percent hard, impervious surfaces such as rooftops, sidewalks, streets, construction sites and parking lots and pavement where water collects and quickly runs off.

# data[].attributes.body
Mix land uses - placing balanced combination of residential, commercial, and recreational properties within close proximity

Increased cycling and walking, less reliance upon vehicles → decrease in air pollution

Urban growth boundaries - geographical limits for sprawling development around a city, county, or region.

Encourages mixed-use zoning within urban limits resulting in above benefits

Prevent sprawl development

Cluster development - buildings concentrated in specific areas within greater area, leaving remaining land open for recreational use

Greenbelts - natural/untouched land that surrounds urban areas (parks, farms and ranches, wildland, etc.)

Act as natural buffers during wildfires

Provide groundwater during droughts

Prevents urban sprawl

# data[].attributes.body
- financial incentives to avoid urban sprawl
- limiting building permits
- creating urban growth boundaries

# data[].attributes.body
Promote the reduction of this by recognizing the harmful effects it has: air pollution (increased illness for people - asthma, lung disorder), reduce water quality by increasing the amount of surface runoff (oil and other pollutants), deforestation and disruption of wildlife habitat, inefficient use of energy (increased automobile -> high concentrations of ozone and photochemical smog), loss of agricultural land, depletion of natural resources.

How to reduce the negative effects of urban sprawl:

Developing plans for smart growth

Encouraging developments close by or inside city limits

Good public transportation systems

Revitalization of existing urban centers and towns help to preserve the existing natural environment, thereby reducing urban sprawl

# data[].attributes.body
Plan the city to control the volume of urban runoff. Low impact development, structural roads, and pollution prevention strategies are advisable. Make sure that education programs about urban runoff is present and volunteering/campaigns are established to divert contaminated water away from waterways/

# data[].attributes.body
Infill is when you take land that is going unused, then redevelop it rather than developing virgin land.
'Brownfield' redevelopment is a variation where the land is going unused because of deeper causes such as pollution or social stigma.

# data[].attributes.body
Natural landscapes have porous surfaces, allowing runoff to filter slowly in ground

Snow and rain in Urban areas can not soak into the ground

Urban landscapes have impervious/nonporous surfaces -> runs off rapidly in unnaturally large amounts

Urban areas rely on storm drains for runoffs

Pollutants: oil, dirt, chemical, lawn fertilizer

Seriously harm water quality of streams and rivers

Storm sewer system concentrate runoff into smooth, straight, conduits

Gathers speed and erosional power

The power blasts out strembanks, damaging streamside vegetation and aquatic habitat

Run-off carries sediments from construction sites + denuded surfaces + eroded streambanks

Run-off carries high temp water -> harmful to aquatic life

Loss of infiltration affect groundwater -> flood during wet weather, lower stream flow during dry weather -> aquatic life cannot survive

Urbanization increase pollutants (harm fish and wildlife

Sediment

oil grease toxic chemicals from motor vehicles

pesticides + nutrients from lawns and gardens

viruses and bacteria and nutrient from pet waste and failing septic systems

road salts

heavy metal from roof shingles and motor vehicles

thermal pollution from impervious surface (streets and rooftops

What to do?

Use porous pavement materials

Use less fertilizers

Compost

IPM integrated pest management

Storing and disposing of chemicals properly

# data[].attributes.body
-Cluster development-preserves open space and directs developments away from natural and agricultural resources
-providing transportation choices
-compact building design: building up instead of out
-preserving open space for humans, endangered wildlife
-mixed land use--decreases environmental sprawl and car use, increases health and economies
-walkable neighborhoods

# data[].attributes.body
Urban runoff is the surface runoff of water (rain, car washing water, etc) that can lead to a natural water source or sewage drain. Along the way it picks up the toxins and waste that are on city streets, and is the largest water pollutant in the USA today.

# data[].attributes.body
Definition: Rapid expansion or unrestricted growth of cities and towns in urban areas.

Characteristics:
1) low density residential housing
2) Single - use zoning
3) increase reliance on private automobile for transportation
4) Little vegetation or evaporation which causes cities to be warmer than the surrounding countryside
5) Concentration of water and air pollution/health problems.

Ways to reduce urban Sprawl:
- Encouragement of citizen participation in community decision making
- an increase in transportation choices
- the preservation of open space, agricultural areas, and environmental services
- Education on negative impacts of urbanization

# data[].attributes.body
Increase water infiltration. This can be accomplished by replacing pavement and concrete with more permeable pavement materials such as pavers (stones) with pore holes in them. planting trees and not out taking up more area on a streetblock will reduce urban runoff.

# data[].attributes.body
Urban sprawl occurs when cities expand out and don't make efficient use of the land that they cover. Urban sprawl leads to greater consumption of energy, traffic congestion, and pollution. The issue also surrounds the idea that land consumption is greater than the population growth.

We can promote the reduction of urban sprawl by educating people on this issue. When more people know about it, the fewer people are going to push for it. Another way we can reduce urban sprawl is by promoting New Urbanization which are projects that help make use of space through thoughtful design.

# data[].attributes.body
California is now investing money in mixed use development. They are no longer putting in money into highways, instead they are putting it into public transit.

# data[].attributes.body
Only 1/3 of cities use cars yet many cities focus on roads for cars. We should use our space wisely and establish a mixed-use city that preserves the natural environment. A way to do this is using bikes and walking to travel around the city.

# data[].attributes.body
Implementing smart growth strategies in new cities can help it become more environmentally friendly than the standard way of urban sprawling.
Some of the huge advantages include the transportation habits as the drastic reduction of private automobiles use help by reducing the overall CO2 emissions, thus less air pollution. The overall kilometers/miles traveled is also less which makes traffic less congested.
By preserving open areas and having more trees around helps as their environmental services are critical for keeping the city clean.
Mix land use and communities can help as it'll reduce communities with private ownership of huge lands which as a result reduces the continuation of urban sprawls.

# data[].attributes.body
I found it interesting that high-density sprawl can also exist. For example in China, superblocks have barely any stores or local service economies. However, it is nice to know that China is trying to make more walkable cities through bike lanes.

# data[].attributes.body
Bike lanes should be implemented in every city. It reduces emissions and is an efficient, healthy way to travel from point A to point B. I believe all cities should be designed like the cities in Holland where bike paths are everywhere.

# data[].attributes.body
The plans for the city look super cool, especially with the integration of the greenery.

# data[].attributes.body
The idea of creating green belts throughout the city. I wonder if actually having parks to walk through makes it easier for people to choose to walk and/or bike places.

# data[].attributes.body
I think the idea of sharing road space is really interesting, especially in places like the California suburbs. I wonder what percentage of road space is used for alternative means of transportation (bikes, buses) in Tokyo vs LA.

# data[].attributes.body
Cities should be designed in a way that promotes walking and other forms of more sustainable transportation (bike, train). This would go a long way in reducing environmental, economic, and health costs.

# data[].attributes.body
Would there be backlash from people who own cars, and is this only a viable solution because the amount of people that do not possess a car outweighs those who do?

# data[].attributes.body
I found it interesting that the speaker differentiates between 'people', who get it, and 'the politicians', who need to be convinced.

# data[].attributes.body
I really liked the idea of adding bike lanes. In Japan, there are a lot of bike lanes in urban areas but it's only one thin strip, which makes it hard for bikers to navigate. Hopefully, if biking becomes a norm, motor vehicles would decrease dramatically.

# data[].attributes.body
Walking is so simple but is also a great way to get people to promote health as well as city and environmental health.