Green Organic City

   

     I think that in a green organic city people would be mindful of how any expansion affects the  surrounding environment. It is important in a green city that new buildings are built to a certain standard. Green buildings are built to be environmentally responsible and energy efficient. This means not only once it’s up and running but also while it is being planned and built. The demolition of buildings needs to be sustainably done as well. As many materials as possible should be recycled and reused, waste should be minimized. There are many materials that can be recycled from demolished buildings like piping, furniture, bricks, and wood.  When new buildings are constructed there are certain steps that can be taken in order to ensure a sustainable and durable building is created. It is important to take these steps when retrofitting an old building as well, which is almost always preferable to just replacing it with a new one. Become LEED certified is one way to ensure that buildings are environmentally friendly as well as productive in society. Another step that can be taken is having a Life Cycle Assessment done to understand the impacts that a building is going to have. It is important not to focus on building according to best practices but on instead the actual measured outcomes of certain strategies.

     Living in a green city would also mean having a large focus on urban agriculture. Urban agriculture offers access to healthy food for the entire community. Many communities have a serious social justice issue involving who has access to healthy food and who does not. Often in poorer areas of a city there are many less grocery stores that provide good meal options and many more quick stop stores like Seven Eleven which provide less nutritious and plentiful options for meals. another major issue in many communities is the price of healthy food. Organically grown food, while become somewhat more plentiful, is still out of reach for many individuals. Urban agriculture provides healthier food for the entire community as well as offering the infrastructure for people to have a place and what support they may need in order to grow their own food. This way food security can go way up in a community. This would go a long way to fixing certain inequalities that existing communities have. Other benefits of urban farming and agriculture include reducing blight in crops, building the local economy, job creation, and physical well being.

     I believe that green cities should inevitably become more enjoyable for its occupants as the community strives to be sustainable and considerate of the environment. Green cities should have high walkability and accessible eco-friendly transit. They should offer enjoyable and productive living space that is also beautiful (an easy way to achieve beautiful living spaces is to incorporate plants that are likely to thrive in the area without outcompeting others). Architecture in a green cite should be designed and implemented with the health and happiness of citizens in mind, as well as sustainability. Incorporation of natural elements such as natural light into new buildings is a great way increase sustainability as well as health and beauty in a certain building. green cities would also keep in mind that waste is never waste and always has a place to be productive in the community. Businesses and citizens should work together to make the most of what they have.