Guangzhou Environmental History

Guangzhou Environmental History
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Introduction
Geography has always had a way of establishing connections and a relationship between humans and nature, so as to create the sense of responsibility bestowed upon people when it comes to their surroundings. The advent of the new century has brought with it a lot of changes, in every sphere. One particular sphere that has been greatly impacted by change is the environment. The increased demand for raw materials, natural resources and even space, has resulted in increased pressure on the environment. Various cities around the world have had to contend with various environmental changes, as they embrace the dynamism of change itself. My hometown city of Guangzhou isn’t an exception. Located in the beautiful province of Guangdong in China, Guangzhou has experienced various changes in the environment, both good and bad. Being my hometown, I have grown seeing the city rapidly transforming from a once sleepy town to the present giant cosmopolis. It was initially a thriving agricultural town, with the natives also doing fishing along the navigable rivers. These agricultural produces fed much of the province. With food security in place, the population steadily grew and mechanization came in. Large scale agricultural production hastened growth, and within no time, industrialization set in, further increasing the demand for both raw materials and space. Located on the Pearl River, the city has often remained sustainable environmentally, as the water basically supports a lot of activities along its course. The environment around the city has undergone significant change over the years, and much change is still expected with rapid industrialization. Understanding the city’s environmental past and present, can help chart a way forward as to what the future holds.
* An overview of the geography and local environmental conditions without human and/or pre-settlement.
It is always crucial to take note of the serious impacts caused on the environment by human occupation. However, the issue is usually not about the human occupancy, but irresponsible management of whatever is around them. The development of cities and towns usually depends on the manner in which the geography and environment align to the interests of mankind. Conversely also, the interests of these individuals need to be tamed in order to maintain balance with nature.
Guangzhou is the capital city of the Guangdong Province which is located in southern China. Like most Chinese cities, Guangzhou started as a simple town with natives who were majorly fishermen and farmers. It was initially known as Canton before changing to the current name in 200 AD. Its location at the intersection of the Pearl River Delta which include the these are the East River, West River and North River; this location plays a critical role in the commercial activities of the city and the country and also provided the foundation for its growth from a rural agricultural town to what it is today. Besides, it is critical to comprehend that the city is strategically located and plays a critical role in the industrial and commercial activities since it connects South China to the rest of the world. It is critical to understand that the city lies approximately 145 km from the South China Sea. The delta provided alluvial soils and silt deposits around the area, which was quite fertile for agriculture. The practice would however, quickly diminish given the fact that the area was well endowed with natural resources such as minerals. Additionally, other regions of China such as the mountainous regions of Sichuan and Yunnan were more agriculturally productive and viable, compared to Guangzhou. This has however, not meant that agricultural production was stopped. The area still has rural places where a lot of farming is done. These include forestry and animal husbandry.
Geographically, its location on a delta opened the gates to the outside world as well. Historically, it became a distant Chinese outpost to the rest of the world. With a history spanning about 2200 years, Guangzhou has experienced it all, when it comes to adjustments in environment. As an important port, the city never really experienced a prolonged period of pre-settlement. This is because, even in the absence of the native Chinese settlement earlier on, other powers still fought for its occupancy, such as the Persians and Arabs. These geographical factors essentially meant that humans were able to peacefully coexist within the environment therein, without interfering much with the balance of nature. It set the foundation for the subsequent generations to continue enjoying the same as well.
* An analysis of how human habitation has changed the environment over time, from the earliest human settlement to present.
It is critical to note that Guangzhou has an interesting living style where people in the city have focused on specific elements such as the food where the city inhabitants have access to food from different regions such as the Middle East and the people also can access classic Chinese favorite such as Bing Sheng. Culture also supported by the people living in the city and this is seen through ivory cravings, the colorful pottery among other local instruments that are found in the city and there are museums that preserve important arts and other things associated with the cultural heritage of Guangzhou. Since most of the people in Guangzhou live in the city, a high percentage of the number of inhabitants’ lives in apartment buildings.
There are areas of new suburban development on the city outskirts and this is more common in downtown and the neighborhoods particularly to the north of the city where there are most built-up areas and the suburbs in Guangzhou. It is critical to note that the construction rate in the city is aimed at meeting the high housing demand in the city. There are various means of transport that are used in Guangzhou and these may include city-bus, taxi, water buses that operate along Pearl River and speed rails that provide a fast connection between other different capital cities such as Zhengzhou and Wuhan among other different areas. People in Guangzhou may commute to their job through different means such as through the use of the buses, taxis and speed rail among advanced transport systems. The city residents and the policymakers are concerned about the green space in the city and this has promoted the need for generating both tangible and intangible ecosystem services which include air pollutant removal, groundwater recharge, wildlife habitat, rainwater retention and mechanisms aimed at balancing oxygen and carbon dioxide (Jim & Chen, 2006).
Guangzhou is the capital city of the Guangdong Province which is located in southern China. It is critical to comprehend that the city is strategically located and plays a critical role in the industrial and commercial activities since it connects South China to the rest of the world. It is critical to understand that the city lies approximately 145 km from the South China Sea. Additionally, the city is located near the three intersections of the Pearl River, these are the East River, West River and North River; this location plays a critical role in the commercial activities of the city and the country.
Human habitation has essentially forced Guangzhou to achieve its full functionality, and to some extent even exceed it. The city has experienced increased productivity both in terms of agriculture as well as industrial products, as more and more people settle. Besides, the negative impacts on the city also affect the air which would facilitate health problems among the city inhabitants (Xu, Yin, Li & Li, 2014). It has become an important commercial hub, not only in China, but in the world. With it however, has been rapid changes in the environment too. There has been an increased demand for space to establish these factories, meaning some of the native lands have to get cleared to pave way for the same. There is also rural to urban migration at an increased rate, due to the fact that people move to the cities in search of more opportunities in these industries and this movement is more likely to affect urban vegetations and the forests (Dong-sheng & Yu-juan, 2003).
Rural village in Guangzhou. Link /guangzhou/post/15228/traveling-to-guizhou-s-ethnic-minority-villages
Increased human settlement always has an impact on the surrounding environment, since there is bound to be increased demand for natural resources as well as land. The pressure will keep on rising, with each population growth percentage. The geography is also continuously being changed, with the various prospects for minerals in the city’s underbelly.
* An assessment of your hometown today.
It is critical to comprehend that just like many other cities cross the world, Guangzhou has been impacted by other human activities that are facilitated by the influ...