The Shareable Future of Cities

How many people does Steffen estimate we will have living in or near cities by mid-century?

• 8 billion people or more

Explain how you agree or disagree with Steffen’s point that our energy use is “predestined” rather than “behavioral”.

• I agree with Steffen because we do the same things everyday that require energy. We see the illusion that our energy usage is behavioral, but that simply is not true.

What correlation does Steffen make between a city’s density and its climate emissions?

• There is a direct relationship. Denser places have lower emissions. In an denser place, things that we need are closer to us, so there are less emissions from transportation.

What are the “eco districts” that Steffen mentions? How you see these as feasible or unfeasible in a city like Norfolk?

• They are districts in the city that are built just for the purpose of being eco-friendly. They are new districts started from scratch, and they are not just updated versions of the original district. All they need is coming from within, and not from elsewhere.

Explain how you agree or disagree with the “threshold effect” that Steffen discusses related to transportation.

• I agree with the “threshold effect” that Steffen describes in the video. When people in dense areas are surrounded by places that make them feel at home they might give up their cars completely. If I lived in New York, I would probably not even own a car even though there are still plenty of transportation emissions in cities like New York.

What does Steffen mean by the idea that, “…even space itself is turning into a service…”? Can you provide any examples that you see here in Norfolk or elsewhere?

• I think he means that we should take advantage of the spaces around us. Do we need to construct new buildings when an abandoned space could be renovated and used for the same purpose?

Describe your understanding of Steffen’s argument that, “…it’s not about the leaves above, but the systems below…”.

• It’s not about what everyone sees, but it’s about the efficiency of the projects and the project’s ability to recycle the energy required of it.

Finally, overall in what way(s) do you see Steffen’s ideas working / not working here in Norfolk? Spend time with this question!

• I would love to see  eco districts arise in Norfolk. We have so much of what nature provides around this city. It would be amazing to see Norfolk become self-sufficient. Driving around I can see several run-down and abandoned buildings that could be refitted to be greener and more productive for Norfolk. One thing that will need to be improved is the amount of crime in this area. A lot of people decide not to move to this area because of the crime-rate.