Geography 331: Urban Environmental Issues
Spring 2001
Instructor: Lisa Benton Short
Office: 13 Persson Phone: 228-7864
Office Hours: Tuesdays from 12:00-1:00 PM; and 4:00-5:00 PM; Thursdays 4:00-5:00 PM or by appointment
Email: Class website: www.departments/colgate/geography/courses
Course Description:
This course will explore the connection between nature and cities. We consider four key themes: water, air and land quality/degradation and urban design/sustainable cities. We begin by considering the water quality and discuss issues of water pollution and policy (did you know that water pollution and contamination which transmits diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhea is the number one killer of children in developing countries?). We next move to waste and hazardous waste, then to air quality and pollution. One common concern in the first three units is to discuss the different challenges facing cities in rich, industrialized countries and those challenges in cities of poorer and developing countries. This comparative perspective allows us to understand the many types and causes of urban environmental issues in cities. It also helps us to understand the complex challenges of environmental regulation in urban areas. In the fourth unit, we explore trends in urban design and planning and how these express ideas about “the environment” (for example city parks, lakes, greenbelts, public spaces, waterfront development). We also consider disease and hazards as an “environmental issue.” In this unit we are concerned with how the future of cities and the quality of life for those who live there can be improved through environmentally sensitive design, and “sustainable urban development projects.” We compare efforts at sustainable urban development in Asia, Africa, Latin America and North America.
TEXTS for the course:
The following can be purchased at the bookstore but have also been placed on 2-hour reserve at Case Library:
World Resources Institute. World Resources 1996-97: The Urban Environment. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN:0-19-521161-8
Wagner, Travis. 1994. In Our Backyard: A guide to understanding pollution and its effects. New York: Van Nostrand Rehinhold.
In addition, a course reader will be made available on CD-rom and hardcopies will be available in Case and in the Geo lounge.
Course Requirements:
Four Reading Reviews @20 points each 80 points
1 Class Discussion Leadership Project 20 points
10 Class discussion mini-assignments @2 points each 20 points
Class participation 20 points
Totals: 190 points
Class Discussion Mini-Assignments explained: These are assignments that encourage you to remain engaged with the readings and with real life. They will be used to help stimulate discussion and can be a way for you to “ground” the readings in specific places. Once you locate the information required, please print it off. Next, attach a ONE paragraph description of how this relates to either the themes of the unit or specific readings for that day. You receive one point for the actual information, and one point for the paragraph analysis. These assignments MUST be turned in during class---no late submissions will be accepted, since the purpose is to promote class discussion. They are listed on the syllabus as “MA#”.
Class Discussion Leadership: each student is asked to participate as a discussion leader ONCE during the semester. Your responsibility is to come up with questions and case studies to help stimulate class discussion. Class discussion is NOT about you summarizing the readings for the rest of your classmates or simply presenting your case study. Rather, I am looking for you to take over class and get involved in a discussion on the readings and Mini-assignments. It is a good idea for you to have me look over the questions before you hand them out: THIS REQUIRES YOU TO BE ORGANIZED AND TO HAVE READ IN ADVANCE! It is up to you to be prepared and organized and to coordinate with fellow leaders!
Reading Reviews: are take home essay questions that challenge you to synthesize the readings. There will be a reading review for each unit. Reading Reviews will be handed out at least five days in advance of the due date. They should be typed and fully referenced.
Geo 331 Lectures, Discussions and Readings—subject to change! 1/22/01
1/22 Brief Intro/Hand out syllabus
1/23 Urban Trends
READ:
· Wally N’Dow “An Urbanizing World” in Uner Kirdar (editor). 1997. Cities Fit for People. (New York: United Nations Press).
1/25 Industrialized and Developing Cities: setting the context
READ:
· World Resources Chapter 1 “Cities and the Environment”
· D. Satterthwaite “Environmental Problems in cities in the South: sharing my confusions” from Edesio Fernaneds (ed) 1998. Environmental Strategies for Sustainable Development in Urban Areas: Lessons from Africa and Latin America
· Jorge Hardoy and David Satterhwaite. “Chapter 6: Environmental Problems in Third World Cities—in the Home, workplace and Neighborhood” in Squatter Citizen: Life in the Urban Third World. (London: Earthscan). 1995.
1/30 MDC/LDCs--Urban Environment and Human Health
READ:
· World Resources, Chapter 2 “Urban Environment and Human health”
· Greg Goldstein “Chapter Ten: Life Saving Services” from J Hardoy, S Carincross and D Satterthwaite (eds). 1990. The Poor Die Young: Housing and Health in Third World Cities. (London: Earthscan).
· Jo Boyden “Chapter 1: Growing Up Urban” in Children of the Cities. (London: Zed Books) 1991.
· MA #1 Bring information about ONE URBAN DISEASEOR NATURAL DISASTER (historical or contemporary) as inspired by the readings to class.
2/1 No class: instructor out of town!
2/6 No class: instructor out of town!
WATER
2/8 Water Pollution and reform (Discussion)
READ:
· Bill Luckin “Evaluating the sanitary revolution: typhus and typhoid in London, 1851-1900”
· Stuart Galishoff “Triumph and Failure: The American Response to the Urban Water Supply Problem, 1860-1923” pages 35-57 in Martin Melsoi (ed) Pollution and Reform in American Cities, 1870-1930. (Austin: University of Texas Press). 1980.
· Tarr, Chapter XIV
· Rodney White. “Urban Impacts on Ground and Water” in Urban Environmental Management. 1994. (New York: John Wiley)
· MA#2 Find information about sanitation and water supply technology and development that occurred in a city of your choice before 1920.
2/13 The Sad But Incredibly True Story of Onondaga Lake in Syracuse, NY
READ:
· Benton and Short “A Witches’ Brew” (HANDOUT)
2/15 Case Studies Discussion: Hudson River, Chesapeake Bay, Lake Erie
· Robert Adler, Jessica Landman and Diane Cameron. The Clean Water Act: 20 Years Later. (Washington: Island Press). Chapter 1: The Need for Clean Water
· and Chapter 2: The State of our Waters, 1990.
· MA #3 find information on the implementation of the Clean Water Acts on any US city
2/20 Water Pollution in developing cities
READ:
· Alexander Stille “The Ganges’ Next Life” in The New Yorker, January 19, 1998. Pages 58-67.
· Biswas “Water for Urban Areas of the Developing World”
· Sagane “Water management in mega-cities in India”
· MA #4 find information on water pollution and any LDC city
2/22 Case Studies Discussion: India, Mexico City, Seoul
2/27 No class: instructor at AAG meeting
3/1 No class BUT Reading Review 1 due by 4 PM in my mail box in Geography office!
LAND
3/6 The Industrial City & Reforms
READ:
· Mumford, Lewis “ Paleotechnic Paradise: Coketown” from The City in History. 1989. (San Diego: Harvest Books).
· Frederick Engles “The Condition of the Working Class in England”
· M. Melosi, “Refuse Pollution and Municipal Reform: The Waste problem in America 1889-1917” in Martin Melsoi (ed). 1980. Pollution and Reform in American Cities, 1870-1930. (Austin: University of Texas Press).
3/8 20th Century Urban Waste—The Growing Garbage Problem
READ:
· Joel Tarr, Chapter XII The Horse—polluter of the city
· Joel Tarr, Chapter Hazardous Waste in the city
· Wagner, Chapter 5 “Managing Our Wastes”
3/13 No class: midterm break
3/15 No class: midterm break
3/20 Case studies Discussion: NY City, Philadelphia,
· MA#5 Bring to class any statistics you can find on a city/ies with regard to annual disposal of garbage to landfills, incinerators or recycling programs
3/22 Incinerators
READ
· Wagner pages 132-137
· E Walsh, R Warland and DC Smith. Chapter 1: The Incinerator Siting Controversy in the United States” in 1997. Don’t burn it Here: Grassroots Challenges to Trash Incineration. (University Park: Penn State University Press). Pages 1-34.
3/27 Incinerators & Environmental Justice: the case of Chester, PA (film)
AIR
3/29 Air pollution and reform
READ:
· R Dale Grinder “The Battle For Clean Air: The Smoke Problem in Post-Civil War America” in Martin Melsoi (ed) Pollution and Reform in American Cities, 1870-1930. (Austin: University of Texas Press). 1980.
· Wagner, Chapter 4 “The Air We Breathe” and Chapter 7 “Energy Dependence” pages 184-215
Review #2 Due in class
4/3 Air pollution Policy: the Clean Air Acts Case Studies Discussion
READ:
· D Elsom Chapter 9 pages 173-183 from D. Elsom. 1994. Smog Alert: Managing Urban Air Quality. (Earthscan)
· MA#6 Bring to class information on any US city air reform as mandated by clean air acts
4/5 Case Studies Discussion: Los Angeles, Houston, Denver
4/10 LDCs & Air pollution & other hazards (Discussion)
READ:
· D Elsom Chapters 1, 2, 3 (pages 1-66) from D. Elsom. 1994. Smog Alert: Managing Urban Air Quality. (Earthscan).
· L. Matrinez-Flores “A New Air Pollution Program for Mexico City” from Edesio Fernaneds (ed) 1998. Environmental Strategies for Sustainable Development in Urban Areas: Lessons from Africa and Latin America.
· World Resources, pg 66-70 AND pages 113-116
· MA#7 find information on air pollution in any LDC city
4/12 No Class: Reading Review #3 Due by 4 PM
URBAN DESIGN AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
4/17 City Beautiful Movement & Urban Parks Movement
· Frederick Law Olmsted “Public Paris and the Enlargement of Towns” in R LeGates and F Stout (eds). 1996. The City Reader. (London: Routledge).
· Ebenezer Howard “The Town-Country Magnet” ” in R LeGates and F Stout (eds). 1996. The City Reader. (London: Routledge).
· Le Corbusier “A Contemporary City” ” in R LeGates and F Stout (eds). 1996. The City Reader. (London: Routledge).
· William H. Wilson “The Glory, Destruction and meaning of the City Beautiful Movement” in Scott Campbell and Susan Fainstein Readings in Planning Theory. Oxford: Blackwell. 1996.
4/19 A Man a Plan and a City
Read:
· Robert Caro “The City Shaper” in The New Yorker, January 5, 1998 pages 38-55.
· MA#8 From the readings or any other source, find information on ONE of Robert Moses projects in New York State or in New York City (park, parkway, building, bridges, dams, etc!) Print out/copy relevant passage and hand it in. Suggestion: I’ve put Robert Caro’s biography of Moses The Power broker on 2 hour reserve at Case.
4/24 Homage to the Auto?
READ:
· Reyner Banham “Chapter 4: The Transportation Palimpsest” from Los Angeles: the Architecture of Four Ecologies. (New York: Penguin books). 1971.
· Reyner Banham Chapter 11 “Ecology IV: Autopia” from Los Angeles: the Architecture of Four Ecologies. (New York: Penguin books). 1971.
· Jane Holtz Kay “The Geography of Inequity” in Asphalt Nation: How the Automobile took Over America and How We Can Take it Back. (New York: Crown Publishers). 1997.
· Jane Jacobs “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” in Scott Campbell and Susan Fainstein Readings in Planning Theory. Oxford: Blackwell. 1996.
4/26 Case studies Discussion: saving cities from the auto (ZEV, alternative fuels, pedestrian zones)
MA #9: find information on alternatives to the auto-dominated city—innovative use of public transportation, pedestrian zones, new technologies for alternative fuel cars, etc
5/1 Green Cities: North America
5/3 Urban Sustainable Development in LDCs ---Case Studies Discussion
READ:
· B. Koerner “Cities that Work” US News and World Report, June 8, 1998.
· KH Wekwete “Africa” in R Stren, R White and J Whitney (editors) Sustainable Cities: Urbanization and the Environment in International Perspective. 1992. (Boulder: Westview Press).
· Ernesto Pernia “Southeast Asia” in R Stren, R White and J Whitney (editors) Sustainable Cities: Urbanization and the Environment in International Perspective. 1992. (Boulder: Westview Press).
· J Rabinovtich “Curitiba: a success story in urban planning” in Uner Kirdar (editor). 1997. Cities Fit for People. (New York: United Nations Press).
· MA# 10 Bring to class any information on an NON-US city and efforts at urban sustainable development.
TBA Reading Review #4 Due 5/X/2001