Cities and Environment Review Essay

Student name Student number Tutor`s name Subject name Subject number Date CITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT CITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT Introduction Since time immemorial, the concept of an urban center has always been thought of as an entity that exists completely separated from the natural world. The reason for this could be perhaps the artificial aspect with which we view the city. It is known for a fact that cities are built from scratch by human hands. Often it has been difficult to associate artificial items with nature. As humans, we are consciously trying to separate the artificial from the natural (Benton 2008). A good example is the "organic foods vs. genetically modified organisms (GMO) debate". Some schools of thought often argue that the act of human intervention automatically disqualifies the affected organisms from being termed as ‘natural`. A similar argument is brewing between today`s urban developers and ecologists. Whereas the former often undertake massive projects that transform natural landscapes into ‘concrete jungles`, the latter believe that these cities should still be viewed as ecosystems. However, to date, rather than having an authoritative conclusion to the matter, divergent views have emerged regarding the interrelation between Cities and the natural environment. The question that then begs in people`s minds is, "If these cities are so artificial, why then do we call it a ‘natural disaster` when people die of heat-wave, landslides, flooding or even earthquakes?" If indeed cities are not natural, wouldn`t it be wise to blame these disasters on human error instead of the politically correct term of ‘an act of God?` The fact of the matter is that all cities, no matter how ultra-modern or futuristic they are in terms of design, still remain at the mercy of Mother Nature. Cities as entities of nature The first way in which cities fit into nature is the fact that they are hosted in a natural environment. Urban theorists have come to admit to the fact that cities do not exist in a vacuum. The very environment that hosts them is natural and this means that the city is always in contacts with almost all elements of nature. A good analogy to this fact is placing a piece of sponge in water. Given a few seconds it will soak up and become wet. When cities are constructed or while they grow, the main raw materials are concrete and steel. However those alone are barely sufficient to transform a landscape into a city. Buildings will have to stand on the ground which is provided by nature. That means the building s will be subject to the rules of gravity, another permanent aspect of nature. The dwelling places being constructed will be hosting people as well as a host of both welcome and unwelcome guests in the form of cuddly birds and vermin such as rats. Perhaps trees too will be part of this landscape. The living things mentioned will all be breathing air, consuming water and food. Industries and households will be using up fuel and emitting gases and heat to the atmosphere. If looked at from such a perspective, it quickly becomes obvious that this city is more than an urban system. It is also an ecosystem that exhibits all aspects of biodiversity. (Benton, 2008) Such a relationship with nature is many a time beneficial. For the better part, Mother Nature plays the role of a prudent host who caters to her guest`s everyday needs. At times however, this guest develops mood swings, placing the guest on the receiving end. Examples of such moments are periods of cold snaps, heat waves, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis and even landslides. People suffer a variety of losses such as loss of life, injury, homelessness and other forms of human suffering that are preceded by such calamities. An example of an event that have reminded us of how much our ‘safe cit...