GREEN CITIES

Let us pursue an ambitious strategy of greening our city to ensure that future generations enjoy higher qualities of life - a brighter and a green future.

The inevitable process of urbanization brought with it environmental degradation, besmirched quality of life and knocked out the root of sustainable development from cities and towns. The limited resource bases of cities are not able to cope with the ever increasing pressure of people migrating from rural areas for a variety of reasons.

The people and governments are already working hard to cut greenhouse gases, and everyone can help. It should be our moral mission to get actively involved for preventing degradation of our environment and save the planet.

Environmentalists have suggested one approach that they call "stabilization wedges". This means reducing greenhouse gases emissions from a variety of sources with technologies available, rather than relying on an enormous change in a single area. Strategies for mitigation of global

warming include development of new technologies; carbon offsets; renewable energy such as biodiesel, solar power, tidal and ocean energy, geothermal and wind power; electric or hybrid automobiles; fuel cells; energy conservation; carbon credits; carbon taxes; enhancing natural carbon dioxide sinks; population control; and carbon capture and storage. Many environmental groups encourage individual lifestyle and political action against global warming. For reducing the gases we emit to the atmosphere, we can also increase the amount of gases we take out of the atmosphere. Plants and trees absorb CO2 as they grow, "sequestering" carbon naturally. Increasing forestlands and making changes to the way we farm could increase the amount of carbon we are storing.

Green City Concept :

The smart solution to the problem of unplanned growth of cities and towns would be to make affordable a new level of quality townships that would seriously consider the important role that environmental issues play globally, locally and domestically. Thus, the concept of the Green City was conceived

Here renewable sources of energy are used such as solar power and other energy efficient techniques are adopted wherein the public transport is affordable and efficient and vehicles pollute less because they are powered by electricity or hydrogen. Green cities make prudent use of available land, encourages energy-efficiency, resource efficiency and healthy buildings. Traffic clogged city centres are reclaimed for pedestrians, green spaces preserved and expanded, recycling schemes promoted, and environment friendly buildings are designed.

What our cities will look like in the future will depend on, how they are planned or, much more important, whether they are planned at all. The key point is that planning has a key role in ensuring sustainability.

Many of the problems associated with our cities have happened because they have not been planned, or the planning has been ineffective or misdirected. Planning has seldom kept pace with the scale of urban growth and rapid urbanisation it has also been unresponsive to the needs of the poor. Forced evictions in some cities have been justified by the so called need for "proper planning".

Green Buildings

In the hierarchy of human needs, shelter is second only to food. Everyone wants a place to live. One of the best and easiest ways to lessen the impact on the planet is to build environmentally-sound structures. Not only can we improve the global environment, green buildings can improve the local environment, too.

Green buildings encompass design, construction, operations and maintenance. It addresses a broad range of issues that fall under the guise of smart land use, energy and resource efficiency, and structurally sound buildings. Some of these issues include - Saving energy. By using energy efficient appliances in the building.

Saving water and reducing water wastages and pollution.

Reducing materials use and choosing materials that do minimal harm to people and the environment during manufacture, use and disposal.

Once simple, low-cost measures have been undertaken, attention can be focused on achieving large energy savings by replacing or modifying existing equipment whenever the office or building is refurbished, or the organization is relocated. Seek specialist advice so that equipment and designs are efficient and provide the lowest overall costs (including energy costs) during the life of the building. Energy-efficient buildings may cost more to design, construct and outfit but it is usually recouped by energy savings within the first few years of operation. Moreover, offices and residential areas should be located nearby in order to save the energy needs.

Some of the needs for water are met by rainwater harvesting in green cities. Rainwater harvesting refers to the collection and storage of rain. Collection is usually from rooftops, and storage in catchment tanks. Stored water is used for non-potable purposes such as irrigating lawns, washing cars or flushing toilets. This would meet most of the water needs of these cities.

Parks and Open Spaces
Scientists looking at the effect of global warming say that a modest increase in the number of urban parks and street trees could offset decades of predicted temperature rises.

Experts have calculated that a mere 10 per cent increase in the amount of green space in built-up centres would reduce urban surface temperatures by as much as 4°C.

Parks and gardens have been valued for centuries for giving people, living away from the countryside, contact with nature. This argument backed by the planning philosophy states that it was good for the health of the urban population to have access to open spaces.

Energy and Atmosphere
Green cities should generate electricity onsite, from renewable resources like geothermal, solar, wind, hydro or biogas sources. They should eliminate the use of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) in new heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC & R) systems. The use of CFCs should be discouraged for reducing ozone depletion.

Water Management
Water management should be very efficient in green cities. Water-efficient or low-flow equipment and appliances in kitchens and bathrooms should be installed to reduce water consumption. Water-efficient irrigation, captured rain or site-recycled water for onsite landscaping should be encouraged. Innovative wastewater technologies, such as treating waste water onsite or significantly decreasing the amount of potable water used should be utilized for sewage conveyance. Rainwater harvesting is another technique which should be made widely popular in these cities. It involves use of rainwater that is collected from the roofs of buildings on residential properties. It should be used for indoor needs at a residence, irrigation, or both, in whole or in part.

Society and Law
Maintaining clean and green surroundings is the collective responsibility of all the citizens of the city. The residents would ensure that the green city retains its status. All the measures like green buildings, pollution free transport, water resources, etc., should be maintained in accordance with the parameters laid for such cities. Strict laws should be framed to ensure that the city maintains its beauty. Such cities are the future destination and would be a respite from the polluted world. They can also serve as an ideal for the other cities. They can encourage rest of the cities to follow there example and attain the benefits of clean, green, energy efficient and a healthy city.