This weeks I focused on two major topics; firstly, the impact of a changing climate on society and secondly, how society defines sustainability. My thoughts were initially directed to the consideration in planning the built environment, communities and settlements. I think it is necessary at this point to mention that the context of the settlement/ development must be analysed before considering sustainable development. This is because although we are moving towards a global society diversity of place and space will always be present. In my future all developments will be meticulously planned to the extent that strategic planning "frameworks" will no exist. Teams will be responsible for planning development with the past, present and future in mind.
Barton's reading, urban form and locality gives an insight into the planning and management of higher densities in order to combat population growth. As the population of the world growing at a rapid rate, either policies must be implemented to reduce growth or management strategies must be devised to deal with this future issue.
Barton, H., 2000. Urban form and locality. In H. Barton, ed. Sustainable communities: the potential for eco-neighbourhoods. London: Earthscan, pp. 105-122.
Fackler's reading made me consider the impact and previous warnings/mistakes that have taken place in the past. I think that this will shape the world to a greater extent, as Ambrose Bierce said "There is nothing new under the sun but there are lots of old things we dont know". History has a great impact in my future, the concepts of threats, health, finance ect. revolve around previous and current events. In order to predict the future you must understand the past.
Fackler also generates the topic; "the role of technology" through his reading. Japan demonstrates a society that has used technological advancements in combination with infrastructure development such as sea walls to expand and protect the build environment. With greater technology, protection and expansion beyond previously establish physical boundaries is possible. The role of...new elements? New uses?
(Fackler, M., 2011. Tsunami Warnings, Written in Stone. Accessed August 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/world/asia/21stones.html)
In my opinion, technology will move in the direction of integration into lifestyles to a greater extent than today. Most of the people in today's world have access to technology, younger generations can not travel without a phone or entertainment device. The world is moving into a new era, social interaction is being re defined and this is a future issue.
Ubiquitous technology, a sort of constant real time global connection of everything via a digital means is the future. Developments building management systems will be connected, to emergency services. Machines already call to be restocked by themselves, this is truly only the beginning of a technologically reliant age. To me this poses both problems and benefits for future societies
Finally, sustainability, the meaning of sustainability needs to be investigated. What does it mean in different contexts. From Motavalli's reading, I identified that sustainable and green are tag lines, nothing more than promotions in some cases leading to financial benefit. Through the lecture and the tutorial we explored a closed sustainable system. Where production, use and waste work in an endless cycle. Is this even possible?
Motavalli, J., 2011. A History of Greenwashing: How Dirty Towels Impacted the Green Movement. Accessed 28 July 2012.
Moving on to energy production as a future issue, coal is an ephemeral resource. How will the world work when it runs out. We need something clean and efficient to drive the motors of the future, the world relies on electricity now? Two possibilities; the world is thrown back into the stone age. Or we could find something amazing to shoot us higher into the skies.
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