Wednesday, November 7, 2012
14 Billion Carbon Footprints
It’s a pretty well-known fact that the U.S. Census Bureau's World POPClock is currently
hovering just above 7 billion. After all, the media made a big fuss over it when the
world hit this epic milestone at the end of October just last year, and for
good reason too. 7 billion individuals means 14 billion carbon footprints. And ever since, reporters and environmentalists alike have raised questions as
to the stability of our planet: how much is too much, and what does our
increase in numbers mean for our environment?
There are so many ways that you can make this city a better place to live. Don't follow in the steps of your carbon footprint. Transform your community by either volunteering with or donating to one of our partnership programs. Together we can make a difference!
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| Urbanization Prospects, 1950-2050 (million) |
While these were and still are legitimate concerns, in order to
find the solutions that will make the greatest positive impact, we must focus on where
our populations are having the greatest negative impact. Recent reports from the United
Nations released in April 2012 estimated that in 2011, urban areas comprised
approximately 3.6 billion people. This means that out of the entire landscape
of the Earth, half of the world’s
population can be found in our urban cities. And as the world’s population
steadily continues to increase, it is expected that urban areas will be the ones to absorb
the majority of this population growth, so that by 2050, nearly 70% of the
world’s population will reside in urban communities. This gives us, as citizens
of the city, an enormous amount of environmental responsibility.
So
the solution then is obvious. We must commit ourselves
to greening our world’s cities and maintaining sustainable urban
developments. Many cities, including Chicago have programs that are
doing just
that. Since the inception of our Expressway Partnership Program in 1998, Chicago Gateway Green has planted 77,000 shrubs, 71,000 perennials, and 3,500 trees. This does more than just enhance the appearance of our city and expressways. Plants filter dust and soak up heat, trapping carbon dioxide. They provide habitats for native pollinators, like bees, to maintain ecosystems. They even improve our own habitats and livelihoods by beautifying the surrounding area and increasing property value to nearby residencies.
There are so many ways that you can make this city a better place to live. Don't follow in the steps of your carbon footprint. Transform your community by either volunteering with or donating to one of our partnership programs. Together we can make a difference!
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