Sunday, February 20, 2011

Making Poor Neighbourhoods Sustainable

Siting Green Infrastructure: Legal And Policy Solutions to Alleviate Urban Poverty and Promote Healthy Communities (26 page pdf, Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review, Vol. 37, Mar. 9, 2010)

Also discussed here: Distressed city neighborhoods need green investment for community, environment (Switchboard, Mar.19, 2010)



Key Quotes:


Increased amounts of impervious surfaces in urban areas alters runoff and drainage patterns, making natural events such as rain and snowmelt an enabling pathway for oil, grease, toxins, pathogens, nutrients, and other pollutants to reach nearby waterways.

“These densely populated, highly developed urban centers, characterized by significant areas of impervious surfaces and reduced open space, contribute to heat island effects and reduce air quality.”

“When green infrastructure is concentrated in distressed neighborhoods—where it frequently is not—it can improve urban water quality, reduce urban air pollution, improve public health, enhance urban aesthetics and safety, generate green collar jobs, and facilitate urban food security.“

“Urban green infrastructure in this Article refers to trees, rain gardens, vegetated swales, pocket wetlands, constructed wetlands, open space, urban agriculture and farming, and vegetated median strips— essentially soil and vegetation incorporated into the urban
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