SMART GROWTH PRINCIPLESAround the world, many rural and urban communities are using smart growth principles to help create sustainable settlements. Smart growth principles are based on the principles of sustainability. The goal of smart growth is to preserve the environment, improve life for everyone, and grow the economy responsibly. Figure 4.3 shows how smart growth principles can be applied to settlements. Does your community feature any of these principles?

As our population and settlements get larger, we have a greater responsibility to live sustainably. Living sustainably means making choices that do not damage or use up resources for the future. By managing our resources sustainably, we increase the carrying capacity of our communities. Sustainable living is an example of environmental stewardship. Your decisions, choices, and actions can help to shape a sustainable community.

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC PRINCIPLESWe can understand sustainability by looking at its three main principles:• Environmental: Improve and protect

the environment.• Social: Promote positive values and

participation in a community for all people.• Economic: Use resources efficiently.

When the goals of the three principles are met at the same time, sustainability is possible (Figure 4.1). Figure 4.2 shows a local farmers’ market, which meets many principles of sustainability: local food reduces pollution from transport, makes healthy food available to communities, and enables farmers to earn income.

WHY DO WE NEED TO

LIVE SUSTAINABLY?

stewardship decisions, choices, and actions that have a positive impact on the environment

FIGURE 4.3 This image shows some features of a smart growth community. How do the three sustainability principles relate to each of these smart growth principles?

c04_f01_go8sb

Crowle Art Group

2nd pass

Geography 8 SB

0-17-659055-2

FN

CO

Pass

Approved

Not Approved

Economic• economic profit and growth• fair distribution of resources• efficient use of resources

Environmental• renewable energy use• reduced fossil fuel use• healthy ecosystems• pollution prevention

Social• human rights• reduced poverty• education• equal opportunity

Sustainability

Building a Smart Growth Community

FIGURE 4.1 Examples of each sustainability principle are listed in this diagram. When these principles are fulfilled, sustainability can be achieved.

FIGURE 4.2 A vegetable stand at the Cardonal Market in Valparaíso, Chile

I wonder if there are other benefits to buying locally grown food?

Accessible and Efficient Community Design• New homes, stores, and industries are water

and energy efficient.• Neighbourhoods have facilities such as libraries,

shops, and schools close by.

Affordable Housing• Everyone can afford homes.

Community Involvement• Community groups work together

to deal with issues.• Resources and services in the city can be

used by everyone.

Transportation Choices• People use public transportation, walk,

or cycle instead of driving.

Environmentally Friendly• Urban areas include plant and animal habitats.• People do not damage the environment.• Waste is recycled whenever possible.

CHAPTER 4: Making Our Communities More Sustainable 103NEL102 UNIT 1: Global Settlement: Patterns and Sustainability NEL

FOCUS ON

CHECK-IN

1. EVALUATE AND DRAW CONCLUSIONS Consider your

community’s use of smart growth principles. Find

examples from your community. Which are being

followed and which need more emphasis?

2. GEOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE How might students

and the Canadian government have different

perspectives on sustainability? Which

perspectives might they share?

3. INTERPRET AND ANALYZE From what you have read

about sustainability, suggest one sustainable

action that your school or class could take.

4. EVALUATE AND DRAW CONCLUSIONS Explain why an

action such as cleaning up the garbage in a park

is not a sustainable action on its own. What else

is needed along with such an action to make

it sustainable?

Geographers want to learn about the world.

Using geographic data, such as maps, statistics,

images, and reports, they can understand the

characteristics of a place. Also, by listening to a

variety of opinions on an issue, they can analyze

different perspectives.

Analyzing different perspectives is something

you do in everyday life. Imagine that you and your

friends want to see a movie. Everyone offers a

different opinion about what to see and where.

After listening to everyone’s ideas, you and your

friends decide what to do.

People usually make choices based on their

experiences and beliefs. To study a geographic

issue, it is important to consider points of view

other than your own. This is called taking a

geographic perspective on an issue.

CASE STUDY: BOGOTÁ AND SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATIONBogotá, the capital of Colombia, is a city of

almost nine million people. Located in the

Andes Mountains, it is one of the fastest growing

cities in South America. In such a large city, you

may think that many people use public transit.

However, for many years, people in Bogotá avoided

public transit because they thought it was only for

people who are poor.

In the late 1990s, the mayor of Bogotá wanted

to create a sustainable transportation system for

everyone. With the support of the citizens, he

created a new, efficient bus system for the city.

The TransMilenio bus system is fast and wheelchair

accessible. The new image and improved services

mean that more people are willing to take public

transit in Bogotá.

Along with an increase in Bogotá’s population

is an increase in the number of cars. From 2002

to 2012, the number of cars on the road daily rose

from around 500 000 to 1.3 million. All of these cars

increased air pollution and traffic congestion.

Cycling has become a sustainable alternative to

driving cars in Bogotá. Citizen groups concerned

about the environment want more people to use

bicycles. They hope to make cycling more popular

than driving (Figure 4.4). Bogotá has more than

400 km of dedicated bike lanes. The city has had

car-free days since 2000. In February 2014,

Bogotá launched the city’s first car-free week.

Activists continue to ask city officials for more

and safer bike lanes. As well, the public transit

system still has problems, such as overcrowding,

to overcome. However, many people feel that these

transportation improvements are making Bogotá

a more sustainable city.

TRY IT 1. Make a list of stakeholders who might have

different perspectives on transit in Bogotá. For

example, consider the perspectives of business

owners, people who are poor, people who are

wealthy, students, and government officials.

Who benefits the most from sustainable

transportation? Who might be opposed to it?

2. Examine the stakeholders you listed in question 1.

Explain how each stakeholder’s experiences and

beliefs could affect their perspective.

LOCAL AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITIESMany efforts to improve sustainability start with individuals at the local level. People can make changes to their settlement organization, their lifestyles, or their traditions. For example, families can start reducing the amount of water they use when they are washing dishes or showering. Some families have stopped serving traditional dishes that are made out of unsustainable ingredients, such as shark fin soup. You and your classmates can participate in student government or other community organizations. Altogether, these actions help to make communities more sustainable.

Beyond the local level, we can support laws and strategies that will help create sustainable communities. In 2012, the United Nations (UN) held the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. World leaders and other stakeholders met to discuss how to promote sustainable development while reducing poverty. The photo in Figure 4.5 shows an art installation created for the conference to promote recycling and to raise awareness of the impact of humans on oceans. The fish is made out of plastic bottles.

GEOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE

FIGURE 4.5 This sculpture in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is made of plastic bottles.

I wonder how sustainability issues in other parts of the world are different from those in my community?

FIGURE 4.4 Cyclists and pedestrians in Bogotá travel along city streets and sidewalks on a car-free day. These streets are usually filled with cars.

CHAPTER 4: Making Our Communities More Sustainable 105NEL104 NELUNIT 1: Global Settlement: Patterns and Sustainability