Better Streets, Better City
My city plan will concentrate on developing more biking and walking paths so that traffic can be cut to a minimum and less roadways and highways need to be expanded. Developing biking paths and supporting Bike Norfolk will bring the city together and cut down on the detrimental effects that car emissions have on the economy. My plan will string economy and ecology together; people will be united because of their physical surroundings in their economy. I also plan on creating and developing a company that rents out electric cars at half the price so that it is affordable for people of all incomes and social backgrounds to use fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles.
Bike Norfolk is a company that advocates bicycling as an alternative mode of transportation and aims to complete and improve the ERT, which will run from downtown Norfolk all the way up to the Naval Base. My plan has a goal to support Bike Norfolk in order to help local drivers cut down on their gas usage, money spending and ultimately helping to save our environment from the fuel emissions given off especially while sitting in the unavoidable traffic on Hampton Blvd.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXR_kOukbzA) This video has three key points that explain the three main types of bikes: cruisers, mountain bikes, and cruisers (all others are hybrids), the need for good bikes: the city streets are not ideal and it often floods, so having thicker tires and more sturdy bikes are idea and also, explains why having a bike that is comfortable for you is ideal: having a good bike will cause citizens to want to ride their bikes to the store, class, etc. This will also cut down of fuel emissions and help the streets stay cleaner.
Using both electric cars and riding bikes will help increase the air-quality standards because the emissions given off by gas guzzling cars will be cut down. Also, using new methods for cleaning the streets will help to cut down on pollution and could possibly make more people want to walk rather than drive. Promoting the use of Bike Norfolk will help to cut down on the generation of waste. Obviously, biking would reduce the air pollution that is given off by the emense amount of daily traffic seen in Norfolk. Also, developing a company to rent out electric cars at a reasonable price would help to cut down on the air pollution. However, in order to successfully run Bike Norfolk, we would have to clean up the streets. My suggestions and plan to do so would be using Norfolk’s inmates to clean the streets and pick up the litter like they do in many other areas around the country. I would also advocate putting more of the tax money into a better street cleaning program that essentially would sweep and vacuum the roads weekly. A final suggestion would be to set up dumpsters and recycling deposits around the city so people can walk to them and drop off their extra trash rather than littering and leaving it to blow around windy Norfolk. They could also use the tax money to develop a program that empties these new waste bins regularly to dispose of unwanted trash.
http://prezi.com/b8ovshhm5rzq/present/?auth_key=c7et05u&follow=kv31c19uzsbn
Steffen Questions
- How many people does Steffen estimate we will have living in or near cities by mid-century? Steffen estimates 8 or more billion people will be living in or near cities by mid-century.
- Explain how you agree or disagree with Steffen’s point that our energy use is “predestined” rather than “behavioral”. I think that Steffen was right in saying that our energy usage is predestined rather than behavioral because the population is steadily increasing.
- What correlation does Steffen make between a city’s density and its climate emissions? Steffen claims that the denser a city is, the less climate emissions will be because people will not have a need for cars and busses and such in such a dense, cramped city.
- What are the “eco districts” that Steffen mentions? How you see these as feasible or unfeasible in a city like Norfolk? Steffen mentions that eco districts are basically remodeled areas that are already in place in order to create a more livable, likable city. I don’t think it is possible to reconstruct Norfolk into an eco district.
- Explain how you agree or disagree with the “threshold effect” that Steffen discusses related to transportation. I do agree with the threshold effect that Steffen mentions because the more people that are in a give area, the less they will drive.
- 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? Steffen suggests that we share spaces as people. For example, the Comcast Center at the University of Maryland is used for sporting events, concerts, conventions etc.
- Describe your understanding of Steffen’s argument that, “…it’s not about the leaves above, but the systems below…”. I think Steffen is saying that it doesn’t matter about the outward appearance, but how what you see is functioning and working to better an environment.
- Finally, overall in what way(s) do you see Steffen’s ideas working / not working here in Norfolk? Spend time with this question! I don’t see many of Steffen’s ideas being able to work here in Norfolk for the simple fact that the city is almost too run down with very few people who care. Norfolk could be improved with the help of his ideas but there is not enough pressure to actually start anything.
High Tech’s Influence on our Lives: Abstract 1
Jackson Jr., Auzville, “High Tech’s Influence on our Lives.”, Vital speeches of the Day; 1/1/85, vol.51 Issue 6, p164-166, 3p.
Change is always occurring. In our society, change happens more often than in other societies, as it may seem, due to the ever growing technological world. Technological changes are occurring everywhere, though. These changes in our tech world today are so normal and fast paced that American’s commonly have troubles keeping up. The fuel behind this technological fire: global competition. This “global competition” calls for Americans to keep up with the rest of the world and all of it’s technologies. We have to adapt and change our lives to fit these new advancements. The Post-Industrial age (1984) was an age for new, booming technologies. Computers, bio-technologies and new information was sprouting everywhere!
Today, these technologies are more useful than ever. They are benefiting in the medical field, especially. One of the most technologically advanced tools in the medical fields right now are the new and improved x-ray machines. Computers are now used as more than just boxes to type on, they are mass communicators. The internet, various sites and other communication tools sprout through the computer. The age range that uses computers as a means of communication vary from young children to elderly grandparents! High Tech items, such as these previously stated, are quickly changing the way of human life.
Auzville Jackson Jr. is 100% correct. I think that he has completely hit the nail on the head. Technologies are changing to suit the needs of the ever-changing world that we live in today. It is important that we keep up with these advancements in order to understand the changes of the world today. Becoming technologically advanced and understanding the new technologies of this world will help us succeed and properly adapt to the changes.
Technology and Me
Technology is extremely important to me because I use it everyday. I remember the first phone I had was a flip phone. It couldn’t take pictures, surf the web, or even receive picture messages! Strange! I am really excited for the further advancement of technology and to see what is going to come out in the future. I love my iPhone 4 and all of my other Apple products. I can’t wait to find out what phones are going to be like in 2020!!
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