Cities

From the ancient glories of Bam and Varanasi to the teeming conurbations of Tokyo and Sao Paulo, cities are amongst our greatest creations. Yet at the start of the twenty-first century, with cities now home to more than half the world's population, there is increasing concern over their unchecked expansion and the detrimental effect this is having on the planet. This unfettered growth is affecting every ecosystem on Earth, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains, as induced...
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From the ancient glories of Bam and Varanasi to the teeming conurbations of Tokyo and Sao Paulo, cities are amongst our greatest creations. Yet at the start of the twenty-first century, with cities now home to more than half the world's population, there is increasing concern over their unchecked expansion and the detrimental effect this is having on the planet. This unfettered growth is affecting every ecosystem on Earth, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains, as induced climate change and ever increasing demands upon the world's resources take effect. As the pace of urbanization quickens, especially in the developing world, how can we make the world's cities more sustainable? How can we prepare new urban areas for future environmental challenges? In Cities: An Environmental History, leading geographer Ian Douglas reveals the story of cities - why they exist, how they have evolved, and the problems they have encountered. In particular he explores efforts to make cities livable. The author shows how, from the very beginning, environmental management played a key role in urban life, particularly in the use of water in Roman and Arab cities. He examines the concept of the city as an ecosystem and the holistic ideas that guided some planners in their responses to the worst consequences of nineteenth-century urban development. The specific problems of urban life, such as noise, air pollution, water supply and waste management are explored in turn, as well as attempts to reduce the vulnerability of cities to hazards. Professor Douglas then considers strategies to make cities more sustainable and help them adapt to likely environmental change in the remainder of the century, including the reduction of commuting and food miles, recycling of waste, energy conservation and dual water systems, sustainable housing, as well as attempts to retrofit existing cities. Global in geographical coverage, and ranging from the cities of the classical world to the megacities of today, it is the first comprehensive environmental history of cities.