Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems
Principles and Practices
Modern city dwellers are largely detached from the environmentaleffects of their daily lives. The sources of the water they drink, thefood they eat, and the energy they consume are all but invisible, oftencoming from other continents, and their waste ends up in places beyondtheir city boundaries.
Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems shows how cities and theirresidents can begin to reintegrate into their bioregional environment,and how cities themselves can be planned with nature’s organizingprinciples in mind. Taking cues from living systems for sustainabilitystrategies, Newman and Jennings reassess urban design by exploringflows of energy, materials, and information, along with theinteractions between human and non-human parts of the system.
Drawing on examples from all corners of the world, the authorsexplore natural patterns and processes that cities can emulate in orderto move toward sustainability. Some cities have adopted simplestrategies such as harvesting rainwater, greening roofs, and producingrenewable energy. Others have created biodiversity parks for endangeredspecies, community gardens that support a connection to their foodshed,and pedestrian-friendly spaces that encourage walking and cycling.
A powerful model for urban redevelopment, Cities as SustainableEcosystems describes aspects of urban ecosystems from thevisioning process to achieving economic security to fostering a senseof place.Acknowledgements
Introducing Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems
Chapter 1. Vision
Chapter 2. Economy and Society
Chapter 3. Biodiversity
Chapter 4. Ecological Footprints
Chapter 5. Modeling Cities on Ecosystems Chapter 6. Sense of PlaceChapter 7. Empowerment and Consumption Chapter 8. Partnerships Chapter9. Sustainable Production and Consumption Chapter 10. Governance andHope
Appendix A. Extracts fron the "Local Government Declaration to theWorld Summit on Sustainable Development," 2002 Appendix B. TheCarbon Cycle Appendix C. The Nitrogen Cycle Appendix D. The PhosphorusCycle Appendix E. The Hydrological Cycle