Cities – envirobites

In the most recent IPCC report, scientists have concluded that global warming is likely to reach 1.5o C between 2030 and 2052, if it continues to increase at the current rate. To curb this warming, and the host of environmental plagues with it, we must completely halt our carbon emissions by 2050. That’s 30 years. But who is actually on the front-lines of climate change? And why do some people draw parallels between climate change and inequality? Is the key to all of this solving both at the same time?

Case Studies Cities Climate Human Exposure and Public Health

Science by Bicycle: A novel study of urban heat

May 29, 2019June 1, 2019 Andrew Trlica 0 Comments meteorology, urban climate, urban heat island, urban landscapes

A new study used a bicycle-mounted temperature sensor to measure heat extremes across urban Madison, WI — and investigate options for keeping cities cool.

Cities Climate Ecosystems

Mother of dragons in the city

May 15, 2019May 22, 2019 Kevin Aviles Rodriguez 0 Comments behaviour ecology, cities, Climate, Climate Change, Ecology, urban ecology

City habitats are often much warmer due to lower forest cover and an increased density of manmade surfaces which retain heat. Increased temperatures can greatly affect animals that develop as male or female depending on the incubation temperature of the eggs. Read on to find out how mothers of eastern water dragons deal with living in the warm cities of Australia.

Cities Environmental Science Human Exposure and Public Health

A Walk in the Park: Green Space in Childhood Good for Mental Health

April 30, 2019May 1, 2019 Munim Deen 0 Comments childhood health, green space, mental health, urban landscapes

Teaser: Parks and other green spaces have long been known to benefit general physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Recent research shows that having green space around one’s home in childhood is associated with lower risk of psychiatric disorders as an adult. This finding shows the importance of residential green space in promoting lifelong mental health.

Cities Ecosystems Environmental Science

Let’s Paint the Town Green!

April 17, 2019April 20, 2019 Laura Schifman 0 Comments biodiversity, birds, BSC4052, cities, fragmentation, green infrastructure, land management, urban greening

Many places around the world are searching for ways to balance a growing population while also caring for the environment. Developers, policymakers, and citizens everywhere are concerned with maintaining biodiversity while developing economies and building homes and businesses for humans. New research from the European Union aims to balance the use of ecosystem services and conservation efforts by introducing green infrastructure. This new way to look at land use can have important implications for the future of development and policy-making in the European Union, and throughout the world.

Cities Ecosystems Environmental Science

The biodiversity emergency: what can we all do?

April 16, 2019April 17, 2019 Laura Schifman 0 Comments biodiversity, BSC4052, Conservation, urban agriculture, urban studies

There is a biodiversity crisis. The repercussions of species and habitat loss are everywhere: Animals (giant pandas or bees), and places (coral reefs), are experiencing negative human-related impacts. This means more than just loss of physical beauty; all habitats and species are interconnected, so a loss of something as seemingly small as a bee population will reduce pollination of plants that we eat. There is hope of recovery, but it begins by motivating people to help. As the world is becoming more urbanized and disconnected from nature, where does motivation for environmental conservation and stewardship come from?

Cities Environmental Science Human Exposure and Public Health

Get the Lead Out: Lessons Learned from Flint, MI

April 12, 2019April 12, 2019 Michaela Cashman 0 Comments drinking water, infrastucture, lead

April marks the five-year anniversary of the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan. For the past five years, the United States has watched the repercussions of polluted drinking water wreak havoc on the City of Flint. What have scientists learned since then? Read on for an abridged understanding of the crisis and learn how one researcher is utilizing the data for good.

Cities Climate Environmental Science

Pave Paradise and Put up a …Desert?

March 19, 2019March 19, 2019 E.M.B. Doran 0 Comments urban, urban development, water

As the song goes, “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone; they paved paradise, and put up a parking lot.” (Joni Mitchell). Now, what if, instead of a parking lot, they paved a mega-city?

Cities Environmental Science

The global buzz: A call to restore insect biodiversity

March 6, 2019March 6, 2019 Matt Baumann 0 Comments agricultural pollution, biodiversity, Conservation, insects, Restoration, urban development

Insects are in decline worldwide. Without a rethinking of current agricultural practices and a bucking of trends in urbanization, biodiversity of insects is threatened globally. Insects are the structural and functional base – the linchpin – of all ecosystems. We are part of those ecosystems. Unlike the vastness of climate change and its many aspects, the solutions to the problem of insect declines are readily available. With proper perspective, appreciation, and respect for the roles insects play in ecosystem integrity, human health, and economic markets, we can reverse course.

Case Studies Cities Environmental Science

Community and home gardens are hotspots for pollinators in cities

March 5, 2019March 7, 2019 Lindsay Green-Gavrielidis 0 Comments gardens, land use, pollinators, urban areas, urban management

Pollinators, such as bees, are important parts of the environment since they are required for plant success and fruit production by humans and animals alike. However, populations of pollinators have been declining worldwide due to a number of issues, including widespread pesticide use and loss of habitats. A recent study conducted by researchers in the UK and their colleagues examined pollinator use of urban areas, comparing community gardens, home gardens, cemeteries, and other spaces. The researchers show that the abundance and diversity of many pollinator groups was highest in community and home gardens, and suggest that urban planners should increase these spaces to boost pollinator populations.

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