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What does eco-city mean to its founder?
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What does eco-city mean to its
founder?
Newman Huo
An ecological city is one that
is very healthy for both the environment and people. This is
the simplest definition for Eco-city as given by Richard
Register, president and founder of Eco-city Builders
International.
"The eco-city will, after all, be
sustainable as people often say these days," Register added.
He believes that at present we don't really have such a
city anywhere in the world.
Of course, cites have been
providing enormous benefits for people, such as cultural
activities, social contacts, jobs and opportunities to be
creative. In many cases cities function very well in that
regard. But the impact cities have on nature is very damaging
at this point in history, he said.
In the U.S.A., there are
many volunteer opportunities for ordinary people to get
involved in building an eco-city. There are choices every
person can make to improve the environment. For instance,
whether or not they walk to work, whether they buy a car, how
much energy they use and whether or not they purchase
pre-packaged food. People can be politically influential by
proposing that the city planners maintain a healthy ecological
system. They can also donate funds to non-profit organizations
that carry out special projects.
According to Register
Shenzhen seems to be heading towards automobiles and highways
in a way that looks like America, which is a problem for
cities. He says he hopes that the metro system that is being
built will make some difference in the city life. And he's
been pleased to see people riding bicycles, which he believes
is more ecologically friendly.
Since 1975, Register has been working on eco-cities in
Berkeley, California.
He grew up in the mountains of New
Mexico, and says that his love of nature gave him the notion
that people could enjoy nature and the convenience of lively
cities at the same time. But to him, enjoying nature does not
mean encroaching upon it.
"The urbanization of the country
has been a trend around the world. Many farmers are leaving
the land for jobs in cities. Favorable policies should be
carried out to encourage more people to work on farms so as to
relieve the pressure of the urban population," says Register. |
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