Nature Challenge Newsletter: Canada's environmental fit test

Shape up, Canada
Better living through clean energy
City of the Future
The future’s so bright, we gotta wear shades
Learn more
Tell Ottawa what you think!

City of the future

If we’re ever going to achieve sustainability, our cities need to be on board. Over 80% of Canadians live in urban areas, and creating sustainable cities should be a national priority.

Cities in the future could look very different if they were built more sustainably:

We would breathe easier. Pedestrian-friendly cities with fewer cars would mean better air quality and fewer respiratory problems.
We would have more parks. A two-track subway, for example, has the capacity of a twelve-lane highway. The extra land could be set aside for parks which would improve our quality of life. More trees and less pavement, for example, would help keep the city cooler on hot summer days .
We would be slimmer. Studies by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that people who live in sprawling low-density neighborhoods weigh up to 6 pounds more than people who live in denser urban areas.
We would have better transportation options. Driving is the worst thing we do to the environment. Providing federal funds to city projects that encourage mass transit would get city-dwellers out of their cars, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve air quality.
We would be safer. Research has found that residents of sprawling communities drive more often which increases the risks of auto accidents. In 2001, 14 per cent of Canadians killed in vehicle collisions were pedestrians or cyclists.