Great cities nurture people. Healthy people tend to make better choices for their lives. Better choices tend to reduce stress. Less stressed out people treat others better. The cycle repeats itself.
Cities that minimally damage the natural world while providing great living conditions for people are an ideal to strive for. When we minimize our need for energy and resources without sacrificing quality of life, we reduce our impact on the natural world.
Cities that rely on renewable energy do not contribute to the global warming problem as much as those that depend on fossil fuels. This is because renewable energy systems have net zero carbon production associated with the generation of energy. Carbon dioxide build up in the atmosphere leads to weather problems that cause damage to ecosystems. This is why I like to think of renewable energy generation as being noble power.
Empowering People
When people are encouraged to develop their talents, skills and job possibilities, they are enabled to grow and express themselves through their work and actions.
The freedom to socialize and express their ideas without fear of reprisal is crucial in cities that empower people. Great thought often precedes great change. We must be allowed to dream of better futures and express our desire for them or they will only happen accidentally. Empowered people work to change things for the better.
Synergistic City
Living beings are a synergistic phenomena. Your body is made of cells that interact with each other in complex ways. Your life depends on this. Groups of cells perform specialized tasks for your well being. For example, brain cells make it possible for you to think.
Although we can postulate life forms of pure energy, or life forms that are silicon based rather than carbon based, It seems highly unlikely that, in truth, these weird life forms really exist.
Without a certain critical proximity between the various cells of your body you would not be alive. This is true for every other cell based life form on this planet. The life caused by all these cells working together is an example of the “whole being greater than the sum of the parts”. Another way to say this is life is a cybernetic gestalt.
We can make an analogy between the cells of a living organism and cities. Cities bring in food and water (eat), make waste, require energy, and grow over time. Perhaps there is truth in the notion that the life of cities is a synergistic effect. When we get the critical proximal distances between the various parts of the city correct, the city comes alive. The quality of this “life” is demonstrated by the actions of its citizens. Better cities build better people which in turn build better cities. The cycle continues. *****
We may be seeing ever more need for disaster relief for large populations in the future. Many people have been made suddenly homeless by natural disasters and human caused problems. Tower Towns can be a way of helping people made homeless have a place to live.
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Welcome to Imagine City Audio Topics Global Renaissance
Moving Fast Empower City Renewable Cities Connect City
Human Scale Cities Super City Tower Towns Design Considerations
Restructuring for Activists Sustainability Indicators Subsidy by Design
Linear City Concepts Network Megalopolis Urban Agriculture
High Rise Greenhouses Magnetic Levitation Trains City Links
