Deck 13: The Urban Environment: Creating Sustainable Cities

Question 1

Pat and Terry are considering moving from near the center of a large city into the suburbs. Which of the following discussion points is valid?

A)They'll experience more stress if they move to the suburbs.
B)It will be easier to have a place for a vegetable garden if they move to the suburbs.
C)If they stay in the city, they will contribute more to local pollution.
D)If they stay in the city, they'll probably get less exercise.
E)If they move to the suburbs, it will cost much less for transportation.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following is a method that governments use to improve urban transportation?

A)Make some public buildings and some communities accessible only by public transportation.
B)Provide bicycle lanes on freeways.
C)Give tax rebates to people who use only public transportation.
D)Designate lanes as carpool- only.
E)Provide motorcycle lanes in the center of rail lines.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A greenway .

A)is an urban golf course
B)is the link that provides pathways for wildlife to travel between parks and preserves
C)contains parks that are large enough to harbor populations of exotic flora and fauna
D)is a waterway within a city park
E)prohibits hiking and biking or recreational opportunities

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The role of zoning is to .

A)run city governments like the federal government
B)promote taxation according to land use
C)classify areas for different types of urban development and land use
D)integrate agriculture with urban land use
E)promote urbanization

Question 5

The ecological footprint of a large city is than/as the surrounding rural area.

A)about the same size
B)slightly lower
C)slightly higher
D)much lower
E)much higher

Question 6

Urban sustainability advocates urge us to _ .

A)use renewable energy sources and recycle materials
B)find a balance between imports and exports of resources
C)oppose strict limits on growth (UGBs)
D)use zoning and taxation to promote livable cities
E)maintain a steady pattern of growth and development

Question 7

You choose two of the proposals as the ones that you will recommend. You do this on the basis of .

A)the suggestions made to you by members of the city council
B)the projected revenue they will bring in to the city
C)the best use of the land for the highest numbers of people
D)sustainability of the uses and compatibility with the environment
E)the financial standing of the investors and their proven ability to finish projects

Question 8

The urban heat island effect is caused by .

A)heat- generating buildings and dark, heat- absorbing surfaces
B)street lighting and burning of wastes in landfills
C)nuclear power plants venting excess heat into the urban landscape
D)green buildings
E)air warmed over adjacent oceans blowing into urban areas

Question 9

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
A military base a few miles from a medium- sized city is being decommissioned. The base is a large one, situated along a coastline, and includes some small hills, pristine woodlands and wetlands, streams, a river, and a small lake. There is a railroad spur that connects the base with the nearby city, as well as a four- lane highway. The base contains housing, schools, a hospital, shops, and recreational areas for a population of 10,000. The city's options for using, selling, or leasing the land are numerous, and many groups come forward with proposals. You work for the city as an environmental resource manager, with the role of preserving local ecosystem services for future generations.
As an ecological resource manager, your preliminary environmental studies should include inquiry into whether .

A)the lake should be provided with docks and a marina for sport fishermen
B)a new housing development just outside the city limits may increase traffic on the connecting highway
C)the financial situation of some potential investors is shaky
D)the wetlands include oyster beds and shallow estuaries that are habitats for shrimp, crabs, and fish, which are supporting many local industries
E)the city needs to obtain a great deal of revenue from the final choice

Question 10

Around the world, most major cities are situated .

A)along rivers, oceans, roads, or train routes
B)at elevations above 500 meters
C)on the more northern continents
D)near mountains, usually in a valley
E)in agricultural areas

Question 11

Curitiba, Brazil, has shown us that .

A)prohibition of motorized vehicles in urban reduces pollution and saves energy
B)once roads are widened, traffic congestion decreases
C)traffic flows smoothly once pedestrians and bicycles are eliminated
D)a walkable city center and expanded bus system can solve a large city's traffic congestion
E)unregulated urban sprawl produces severe air pollution

Question 12

Urban sprawl typically results in

A)decreased reliance on automobiles.
B)increased population densities.
C)high- density housing outside of the central city.
D)narrower highways.
E)increased commuting distances.

Question 13

Use the accompanying figure to answer the following questions.
The operating costs for transportation .

A)clearly show the economies of scale, with large cities costing less per automobile than small cities
B)indicate that city planners should invest more in parking lots
C)indicate that, when all operating costs are included, rail is the most sensible means of transport
D)take into account the costs to public health and to the environment of vehicle emissions
E)show that bus transport is the least expensive when all costs are included

Question 14

Use the accompanying figure to answer the following questions.

Given the energy consumption and operating costs per passenger- mile, one of the best overall strategies for cities to consider is .

A)to create carpool lanes on all major routes
B)to improve and increase city bus routes, providing affordable, pleasant buses
C)to increase affordable, high- rise parking sites in multiple locations throughout the city
D)to create more suburban communities with work, shopping, and housing in central locations
E)to create or improve a convenient, affordable, rail transit system

Question 15

A city planner needs to consider as a first priority.

A)railroads, subway systems, and how much they charge riders
B)the amount of money investors have available for new business
C)the best use of sales tax money within the city proper
D)local laws pertaining to property rights
E)optimal land use strategies for different areas of the city

Question 16

Oregon's strong policy of enforcing UGBs (urban growth boundaries)to create livable cities has been exemplary for many years, but between 2004 and 2007, voters .

A)passed a bill giving property owners some exceptions from UGB rules
B)passed legislation forbidding the construction of any new single- family homes
C)passed a bill promoting unregulated development throughout the state
D)voiced their desire to have a state as populous as neighboring California
E)have gone further by passing a bill capping population in all major cities

Question 17

A resource sink is .

A)a resource that is desirable, such that different cities must compete to obtain enough of it for their citizens
B)an area that produces many things and needs to export them to a variety of places
C)an area that produces a single resource and can control the price of that commodity or service
D)an area that produces almost none of the things that it needs
E)an area that is able to trade for all of the things that it needs

Question 18

Throughout history, cities have .

A)been self- sustaining in food production
B)been major sources of labor for the rural areas surrounding them
C)drawn resources from surrounding agricultural areas
D)destroyed the rural areas surrounding them through conquest or politics
E)had disagreements with the rural areas surrounding them

Question 19

Use the accompanying figure to answer the following questions.
What drives the move to the suburbs from cities?

A)concern over demographic transitions
B)availability of more jobs in suburbs
C)desire for close- knit communities
D)desire to live in less crowded, more peaceful conditions
E)desire to have a garden

Question 20

An urban growth boundary (UGB)is intended to .

A)enforce certain restrictions within neighborhoods
B)help an area retain its distinctive character
C)provide guidelines for city development to separate areas desired to be urban from areas desired to be rural
D)maintain low housing costs for the average homeowner
E)ensure that businesses do not locate in residential areas

Question 21

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
A military base a few miles from a medium- sized city is being decommissioned. The base is a large one, situated along a coastline, and includes some small hills, pristine woodlands and wetlands, streams, a river, and a small lake. There is a railroad spur that connects the base with the nearby city, as well as a four- lane highway. The base contains housing, schools, a hospital, shops, and recreational areas for a population of 10,000. The city's options for using, selling, or leasing the land are numerous, and many groups come forward with proposals. You work for the city as an environmental resource manager, with the role of preserving local ecosystem services for future generations.
Any consideration of the true costs of sprawl must include .

A)increased use of pesticides
B)more time for families to be together
C)the problems of decreased water and energy consumption
D)the restoration of natural areas to inner cities
E)increased use of fossil fuels

Question 22

Air travel, the Internet, cheap fossil fuels, and television all have allowed people to .

A)return to an agricultural society
B)live more densely packed into urban areas
C)consume less energy and materials
D)remain connected while living in less centralized communities
E)live within the UDB's demanded by smart city design

Question 23

The world's urban populations are .

A)shrinking, compared to rural populations
B)growing most rapidly in the developed nations
C)growing at a faster rate than the global population as a whole
D)growing at about the same rate as the rural populations
E)shrinking in developing nations

Question 24

Suburban living encourages .

A)driving electric cars
B)increased use of farming
C)increased use of automobiles
D)riding bicycles
E)walking

Question 25

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
A military base a few miles from a medium- sized city is being decommissioned. The base is a large one, situated along a coastline, and includes some small hills, pristine woodlands and wetlands, streams, a river, and a small lake. There is a railroad spur that connects the base with the nearby city, as well as a four- lane highway. The base contains housing, schools, a hospital, shops, and recreational areas for a population of 10,000. The city's options for using, selling, or leasing the land are numerous, and many groups come forward with proposals. You work for the city as an environmental resource manager, with the role of preserving local ecosystem services for future generations.
LEED- certified buildings could be described in all of the following ways, except .

A)their construction costs much less than for conventional buildings
B)they are built with sustainable materials
C)they are energy efficient
D)they limit pollution and recycle wastes
E)they have a reduced ecological footprint

Question 26

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
A military base a few miles from a medium- sized city is being decommissioned. The base is a large one, situated along a coastline, and includes some small hills, pristine woodlands and wetlands, streams, a river, and a small lake. There is a railroad spur that connects the base with the nearby city, as well as a four- lane highway. The base contains housing, schools, a hospital, shops, and recreational areas for a population of 10,000. The city's options for using, selling, or leasing the land are numerous, and many groups come forward with proposals. You work for the city as an environmental resource manager, with the role of preserving local ecosystem services for future generations.
The city decides to do further study. You are hired as an assistant city planner who has expertise in ecological resource management to study the feasibility of several of the proposals. One of your first tasks will be .

A)to map out area required by different proposals
B)to find out the zoning currently in place for the base and the required changes
C)to investigate which proposal will bring in the most city revenue
D)to talk to the investors for each proposal to determine if they can afford to fulfill their plans
E)to study potential environmental impacts and resource needs

Question 27

In developing nations such as India and Nigeria, _.

A)small numbers of people have moved into the cities
B)very little change has occurred in the past 40 years regarding where people live
C)most of the population is moving to the suburbs from the city centers
D)rural people are moving to the cities in large numbers
E)more people are moving to the suburbs than to the city centers

Question 28

The new urbanism tries to .

A)develop walkable neighborhoods, with homes and businesses close together
B)use zoning to keep small neighborhoods intact
C)use tiered taxation to maintain inner cities as vibrant, livable communities
D)provide low- cost, long- distance, mass transit systems
E)keep business in a central location, near transportation centers

Question 29

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
A military base a few miles from a medium- sized city is being decommissioned. The base is a large one, situated along a coastline, and includes some small hills, pristine woodlands and wetlands, streams, a river, and a small lake. There is a railroad spur that connects the base with the nearby city, as well as a four- lane highway. The base contains housing, schools, a hospital, shops, and recreational areas for a population of 10,000. The city's options for using, selling, or leasing the land are numerous, and many groups come forward with proposals. You work for the city as an environmental resource manager, with the role of preserving local ecosystem services for future generations.
A development group wishes to turn the area into a recreational facility, including an RV resort, a major- league sports arena, a small- craft harbor for water sports, a hunting lodge, and off road activities, including motocross racing and dune buggy areas. An important ecological concern about this proposal would be _.

A)whether the development group can attract major sports teams to a new arena
B)a need to widen the highway to sustain the increased traffic
C)that the parking facilities would need to be increased
D)the impacts on the woodlands, wetlands, and waterways
E)that the developer's fees might not be enough to justify the long- term lease

Question 30

Match the following.

A)zoning
B)sprawl
C)urban planning
D)suburban communities
E)farming communities
F)regional planning
G)ruralization
H)old urbanism
I)urbanization
J)new urbanism
K)tiered utilization
L)suburbanization
The practice of classifying areas for different types of development and land use

Question 31

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
A military base a few miles from a medium- sized city is being decommissioned. The base is a large one, situated along a coastline, and includes some small hills, pristine woodlands and wetlands, streams, a river, and a small lake. There is a railroad spur that connects the base with the nearby city, as well as a four- lane highway. The base contains housing, schools, a hospital, shops, and recreational areas for a population of 10,000. The city's options for using, selling, or leasing the land are numerous, and many groups come forward with proposals. You work for the city as an environmental resource manager, with the role of preserving local ecosystem services for future generations.
One group proposes to convert the base to a new city suburb, with low- cost housing for several thousand of the current inner- city residents. A possible major problem with this might include .

A)the highway traffic to and from the city
B)that the inner- city residents may not be able to fully appreciate the natural areas and miss the inner- city quality of life
C)insufficient recreational opportunities for the new suburb
D)the lack of jobs in the new suburb
E)that there is no guarantee that the buildings are in good condition

Question 32

People who live entirely within an urban environment .

A)have too many luxury goods at too expensive a price
B)have insufficient choices for activities and lifestyles
C)may become disconnected from nature and from the true costs of their needs and activities
D)are never provided enough quality housing, even for those who can afford it
E)pay less for food and gasoline than rural areas

Question 33

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
A military base a few miles from a medium- sized city is being decommissioned. The base is a large one, situated along a coastline, and includes some small hills, pristine woodlands and wetlands, streams, a river, and a small lake. There is a railroad spur that connects the base with the nearby city, as well as a four- lane highway. The base contains housing, schools, a hospital, shops, and recreational areas for a population of 10,000. The city's options for using, selling, or leasing the land are numerous, and many groups come forward with proposals. You work for the city as an environmental resource manager, with the role of preserving local ecosystem services for future generations.
Members of several local environmental groups propose that nearly all of the buildings be removed and the area turned into a regional hiking and camping area, with very limited vehicle access. This will preserve the natural areas while providing recreation for the city dwellers. One issue that is raised by opponents is .

A)whether there be sufficient space for RV camping
B)whether revenue generated from users will pay for the changes and the maintenance of such a facility
C)that no one will be interested in that kind of recreation
D)whether water sports be accessible to all
E)that it will not be sustainable

Question 34

Match the following.

A)zoning
B)sprawl
C)urban planning
D)suburban communities
E)farming communities
F)regional planning
G)ruralization
H)old urbanism
I)urbanization
J)new urbanism
K)tiered utilization
L)suburbanization
Residential/commercial communities that ring cities just outside city limits

Question 35

Match the following.

A)zoning
B)sprawl
C)urban planning
D)suburban communities
E)farming communities
F)regional planning
G)ruralization
H)old urbanism
I)urbanization
J)new urbanism
K)tiered utilization
L)suburbanization
The shift from rural to urban living

Question 36

The greatest general problem with suburbs is .

A)the lack of nearby shopping
B)the lack of resources
C)that they decrease water quality
D)the high population density
E)that they spread environmental impact over a larger area

Question 37

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
A military base a few miles from a medium- sized city is being decommissioned. The base is a large one, situated along a coastline, and includes some small hills, pristine woodlands and wetlands, streams, a river, and a small lake. There is a railroad spur that connects the base with the nearby city, as well as a four- lane highway. The base contains housing, schools, a hospital, shops, and recreational areas for a population of 10,000. The city's options for using, selling, or leasing the land are numerous, and many groups come forward with proposals. You work for the city as an environmental resource manager, with the role of preserving local ecosystem services for future generations.
One major contributor to sprawl is .

A)zoning
B)developer's fees
C)the steadily increasing prices for gasoline
D)the steady state of human populations
E)the trend toward increasing the per capita land consumption

Question 38

Worldwide, the fastest growing cities today are mostly _.

A)small cities in the southern United States, such as Austin, Texas, and Raleigh, North Carolina
B)the megacities such as Tokyo, Mexico City, and New York City
C)cities in the northern United States, such as Chicago, Illinois, and Portland, Oregon
D)large cities worldwide, such as Paris, London, and Los Angeles
E)cities in developing nations, such as Delhi, India

Question 39

In 2010, Metro Portland made a historic agreement between landowners and citizens which .

A)put up undeveloped land at auction to be sold to the highest bidders, public or private
B)each individual landowner was given an equal portion of the region's land
C)prohibited agriculture on any undeveloped land in the region
D)converted all undeveloped land to restored natural ecosystems
E)included a regional plan to identify exactly where urban growth would be allowed

Question 40

American cities in the northern United States, such as Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit, .

A)have increased their rate of growth dramatically in the past 20 years
B)have maintained a steady state population since the 1970s
C)grew very rapidly in the 19th and early 20th centuries
D)have always grown rapidly and continue to do so
E)have steadily lost population over the past 100 years

Question 41

Match the following.

A)zoning
B)sprawl
C)urban planning
D)suburban communities
E)farming communities
F)regional planning
G)ruralization
H)old urbanism
I)urbanization
J)new urbanism
K)tiered utilization
L)suburbanization
Broad land use studies that may include several cities and adjoining nonurban areas

Question 42

What are some of the reasons for the development of parks and protected areas in and around U.S. cities?

Question 43

List some of the reasons that urban dwellers move to the suburbs.

Question 44

Match the following.

A)zoning
B)sprawl
C)urban planning
D)suburban communities
E)farming communities
F)regional planning
G)ruralization
H)old urbanism
I)urbanization
J)new urbanism
K)tiered utilization
L)suburbanization
The spread of low- density urban or suburban development outward from an urban center

Question 45

Identify and describe the goals and accomplishments of PlaNYC.

Question 46

What impact does increased distance from natural areas, as a consequence of urbanization, have on human views of nature? How do we ameliorate this?

Question 47

Explain at least three of the principles of smart growth.

Question 48

Why do urbanized societies need stretches of uninhabited and undeveloped land?

Question 49

Match the following.

A)zoning
B)sprawl
C)urban planning
D)suburban communities
E)farming communities
F)regional planning
G)ruralization
H)old urbanism
I)urbanization
J)new urbanism
K)tiered utilization
L)suburbanization
Designing neighborhoods on a walkable scale

Question 50

Discuss four of the findings that urban ecologists have described from their intensive analysis of Baltimore and Phoenix.