The issue of how to create a petroleum-free transportation economy in our modern society has reached a critical point, as moving people and goods in today’s global market comes at a great environmental and energy cost. Too often, the argument of improving the technology in our vehicles has been the primary focus in solving these environmental costs. However, this ignores the main problem: city sprawl. It is fast, unchecked, car-dependant, and nobody is talking about scaling down neighbourhoods –– that is, designing our communities with people in mind first rather than cars –– as the real solution.
The environmental changes many cities have experienced have resulted from the removal of massive forested areas that naturally occur in the landscape. Building new residential areas requires the removal of entire green areas, which curbs trees from acting as natural filters for the atmosphere by absorbing CO2. When cities expand, removing these natural areas, the weather is also impacted because the biosphere’s natural cycle becomes compromised. Furthermore, when entire regions are urbanized for development, it is inevitable that a widespread use of private vehicles will follow. The pollution that these vehicles emit warm the surrounding atmosphere, resulting in higher concentrations of greenhouse gasses. So, the sprawl of cities is directly proportional to the increase in car usage, which leads to a rise in pollution.
In 2017, the estimated number of vehicles registered in the U.S. alone was 272.48 million. This means that in order to allow for a high volume of traffic, the route network has to be developed with wider roads. This type of street architecture promotes higher car speeds, which may become deadly for pedestrians. Moreover, public transportation systems in North America are not as efficient as we believe them to be because city outskirts, like the suburbs, have been growing far too rapidly for bus networks to catch up. While the above-surface transportation system is more practical and cost-effective when adapting to new neighbourhood expansions, buses and streetcars still need roads and combustible fuel to operate. So, this only partially resolves the issue of traffic congestion and pollution. The alternative, which involves digging underground to create subway networks, is the safest bet, but it comes with huge costs and lengthy construction times. Aside from this, we also have to consider political interests and frictions getting in the way of any large scale (and long-term) projects.
Switching to more sustainable vehicles is a step in the right direction; however, this appears to be more of a prompt for automakers to boost their new products and self-promote their brands, rather than actually take a stand against environmental issues.
Still, somehow modern society has managed to place too much faith in technology as the solution to our current environmental problems. Take, for instance, the hydrogen car, which uses hydrogen gas to develop electricity through a fuel cell system that powers the main electric motor. Although hydrogen cars are the more environmentally friendly option, only after 20 years of development can a final version be purchased from Toyota at a not-so-affordable price of $50,000. In fact, it will probably be another 10 to 15 years before these cars will take over enough of the market to have a significant impact on the environment. By that time, we would have already suffered increasingly more environmental problems, with global temperatures rising yet another degree. Rather than leaving our future in the hands of private automotive corporations, we could commit to extending subway routes and creating more rail lines to promote a better and greener public transportation system in that same time span (although, as discussed, this comes with its own share of problems).
Citizens are also facing the ongoing issue of travel distances increasing, which encourages the use of cars and fuel, producing more greenhouse gasses. When examining suburban communities, it is clear that many don’t even have sidewalks to offer people a safe space to walk. This is the case of early suburban communities built from the mid 1900s onward; only cars were projected to be moving around, so pedestrians weren’t even considered in these designs. For decades, it seems like the outskirts of cities were conceived and built with a garage door first and a regular door second. This tells us a lot about our morbid attachment to car culture. Plus, without a walkable community, few feel compelled to walk because there are hardly any destinations that can be reached on foot; you need a car to get anywhere.
Nonetheless, we still need to address the elephant in the room: how to redesign communities to be less reliant on cars to reduce pollution. To do so, we will have to prioritize pedestrians when developing urban landscapes, such as what has been done in the Seaside neighbourhood in Fort Walton, FL. The project in Seaside was undertaken by the DPZ firm and led by Adres Duaney, an architect and expert when it comes to New Urbanism practices. With this approach, entire communities are reshaped or made anew to prioritize foot traffic and local shops rather than cars and malls. For this, we need to set a few priorities for a better urban design experience in the long-term.
The right thing to do is to scale down neighbourhoods to a manageable size. But this means bringing back essential services like local neighbourhood stores where families require them most: within a five-minute walking radius from their doorstep. Some suburban communities in Vancouver have started benefitting from having small general stores inside their residential areas, as this provides a sense of community for people to gather and socialize, and also saves time. Moreover, these types of shops have the advantage of providing business opportunities to locals while meeting the needs of those with less accessibility, like the elderly, and those with disabilities, who are often not considered in urban frameworks. For instance, if you have ever used New York’s subway system, you can clearly see that it is largely inaccessible for people with wheelchairs and strollers; the shortage of ramps and elevators makes it impossible for these individuals to access basic public services.
With communities reshaped to fit the needs of the pedestrian, it will be possible to have a positive impact on our environmental issues. Reducing our dependence on cars will curb fossil fuel usage and reduce pollution, which will leave cities much more breathable than they are now. People will be prompted to commute by foot and by public transportation, which will also benefit their health. In addition, with less car traffic, we can expect fewer road casualties for both drivers and pedestrians. Reshaping parts of cities from large and unwelcoming intersections to pedestrian-only areas is not only an architectural change, but also a way to reclaim public space and mend the harm done to the environment sustaining us.
By Carlo Ienna
Please note that opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views and values of The Blank Page.
