November 16, 2010

Entry 20: Best Inventions of 2010


Above links to a clip that shows some amazing innovative ideas this year! Out of all 50 items on the list, I picked 3 that I think it is important to share with you all for sustainability!

  1. The Straddling Bus: This Bus was designed to solve increasing car ownerships in China. The idea behind such design is that a system that can be built cheaper than a subway, and at same time such system won’t get caught by or cause some serious traffic jam.
  2. Deep Green Underwater Kite: This is one new cool Renewable Energy Plan! It uses Underwater Kite to generate energy from seawater turbine. The developing teams say even in calm waters, such devices can still be able to generate 500 kilowatts!
  3. The Seed Cathedral: Remember EXPO 2010 that I was talking about earlier on my blog? Yep! This is UK’s gift to China! The idea behind this is to worship biodiversity on earth! As now, the design teams set up a plan to collect 20% of the world’s plant species by 2020.


November 16, 2010

Entry 19: Sustainable City



Sustainable Development is definitely a key to solve many urban issues on a regional scale and global scale! In today’s world, we have Hot, Flat, & Crowded issues need to be addressed! Hot refers to Climate Weird-ing due to the human impact. Flat means the advancement of communication and information technology and rapid global economic activities. Crowded associates with an accelerating population growth globally. In many cases, most developing and under developed countries will have the toughest time to face such challenge in the incoming future! According to the population projectors, developing and underdeveloped countries are expecting to have many mega cities to host more than 10 million people per city. The problem is not a mega city, but those counties are not ready for hosting such numbers! For instance, those areas will defiantly have the hardest time to adapt for uncertain future, because they lack sufficient tools and technology. Similarly, their economies will be single out due to the hierarchy global economy approach. Moreover, slums are not designed for healthy living condition and residents can have serious health issues due to the poor air quality, water quality, and sanitation.

According to Plan B 3.0, Lester Brown suggests below approach to build up a sustainable city:

  1. Reducing Urban Transport: Using better fuel-efficient cars, Building Bus Rapid Transit, Metro, and Light Rail Systems and bicycle sharing program.
  2.  Reducing Urban Water Use: Brown suggests that “composting toilet” would defiantly help those developing and underdeveloped cities to solve sanitation and water quality issues.
  3. Farming in the City: Urban Farming is a great source not only for eating healthy & locally but also good way of socializing with communities.
  4. Upgrading Squatter Settlements: Miro-Credit can help a country to balance out the core and periphery disparity.


November 1, 2010

Entry 18: Detroit Needs 2nd Renaissance!


Michigan was my first settlement when I moved to the United States. I leaned English there; I learned to have a passion for American Football; I learned how it feels like to be only few minority students in bully-oriented public high school; I had a lot of “First” in Michigan! Even though vast majority projects Detroit or Michigan in general as death, I still believe there is a chance for this place to take a second Renaissance! Even though Michigan is a place of gloomy, melancholy & emptiness did become part of me when I had so much memories & stories over there! Renaissance Center was built with belief that Detroit has the best auto technology and the most valuable blue-collar workers. Today, this economic crisis is a signal for Detroit and this signal tells  Detroit that they can make a come back again, if they start to rethink their whole manufacturing model and trigger a Green Revolution!

The video in this Entry’s Cover is a song, "Roll On," by Detroit born musician Kid Rock! This music video was shot in Motown & we can see those locals still have tenacious optimism for the uncertainty.


October 27, 2010

Entry 17: Hong Kong... Um...!!!



Hong Kong is definitely one of the most overrated cities in the World.

First: Living in Hong Kong is a nightmare! I felt miserable when I lived on the 30th floor. Moreover I don’t think you would enjoy it when you have to share with other 16,576 people for a square mile! Plus after living in Hong Kong for a while, I do not think it is OK for me to pay my rent for such poor living quality! Even now Hong Kong People still think they are the best because Hong Kong is one of the most expensive cities to live. I think that’s pretty bizarre and why would they believe without affordable housing is a great thing to brag about? Plus It is a waste of money for such poor living quality!

Second: Currently, Hong Kong People still believe they are part of British Empire. Moreover they believe they are English! Ironically, Hong Kong’s economy would go downhill without China’s support, because Mainland China takes up 43% of Hong Kong’s total export…


October 26, 2010

Entry 16: Sanitation Issue in Developing Cities


For the next 50 years, most developed countries project to have a more stable population, and cities’ size will remain about the same. However for the most developing and underdeveloped countries, they are expecting to have quite few mega cities that have to fit more than 10 million people in. Having a mega city is not a problem, but it is a problem when cities in those developing and underdeveloped countries are not capable to create a sustainable system for such amount of population.

Today, we have already seen many slums in those places. My concern for slums is residents in such places should have rights for clean water & better sanitation, because welfare & health of citizens are elements for creating striving future! According to Vanguard’s documentary film, the World’s Toilet Crisis, about 40% of the world’s population has no access to toilet and clean water. Consequently, more than 2 million people die from complications of diarrhea & malaria etc. every year!


October 25, 2010

Entry 15: Tate Modern



Tate Modern in London is probably one of the most successful stories in regards to the Brownfield Development (Redevelop the abandoned industrial & commercial facilities). Before Tate Modern, its site was used as a power station for the city of London. However it was closed in 1981 and was abandoned for almost two decades. During the late 90s’, the city government came up with an idea to revitalize such huge abandoned site to an art gallery in the central city of London. The whole reconstruction plan was finalized & opened to the public in the year of 2000. Today Tate Modern is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with 4 million visitors per year.


P.S. the Photo is from the New York Times


October 19, 2010

Entry 14: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia



I lived in Kuala Lumpur with my aunt for almost two years due to some of my parents’ complication when I was in middle school. Kuala Lumpur has a population about 55% of Chinese descent. In fact the city itself was originated and settled by Chinese in the 19th century due to the tin-mining industry. Today the City of Kuala Lumpur has 1.8 million people while the Greater Kuala Lumpur has a population around 6.5 million. Moreover Kuala Lumpur is highly diversified in terms of culture, people, and city landscape. One of many reasons is that today’s Malaysia is a secular Muslim nation, but its nation was once a part of the British Empire and the city was created by migrated Chinese mining workers back then. 


October 18, 2010

Entry 13: Taipei, Taiwan



I have lived in many cities from then and now and I will try to introduce to some of them that have  influenced my perceptions in the world. Taipei, Taiwan is where I was born and where my childhood was. The city of Taipei is about 3 million people, while the Greater Taipei has a population somewhere over 6 million. Taipei is the largest city in Taiwan and serves as Taiwan’s financial, governmental, and educational center. The whole island’s GDP per capita is only about $16,391, but the city of Taipei has a GDP per capita of $48,400; the second highest in Asia behind Tokyo. This disproportional income distribution has a lot to do with governmental policies. For decades, government spends disproportionally more money in Taipei than another places in Taiwan. Moreover current government does not want to distribute some wealth & power to the central and southern parts of the island, such as education or governmental sectors. Today’s Taipei has some large national & transnational firms such as Acer, ASUS, D-Link, China Airline, and Eva Airline, etc. Moreover Taipei is also home to 20 universities, including one of the oldest in the island, National Taiwan University.

Below are some tourist attractions in Taipei:

  1. Taipei 101: One of the Tallest Buildings in the World and was built for earthquake and hurricane/ typhoon conditions.
  2. Yangmingshan National Park: A Collection of peaks located to the north of city center; home to subtropical rain forest & geothermal formation.
  3. Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall: A Neoclassical Chinese Palace: A Park that was built and dedicated to a well-known dictator both in China & Taiwan.
  4. Night Markets: A place that offers a cheap & delicious Chinese “Home-Style Food.”
  5. the National Palace Museum: Home to the World’s Best Collection of Chinese Historical Artifacts and Antiquities.


October 17, 2010

Entry 12: Where Are Chinese in LA?



Have you ever wondered why there is no Chinese in LA’s Chinatown? I Do! I remembered I was so excited to visit my friends in Los Angeles when I had serious homesick in Michigan back then. The first thing I requested my friends to do was to bring me to eat some real Asian food when I landed in LAX. I would image they would bring me to Chinatown, but in stead they brought me to a suburb for the meal. I was more surprised when I got to that suburb, because I saw more Chinese signs, Chinese restaurants, Chinese stores, Chinese supermarkets, and Chinese malls than anything in English. That suburb is where my friends and vast Chinese, Taiwanese, and Singaporean immigrants live. Basically that suburb was built not to assimilate but to live lives in Chinese Style with American Dollars!

Due to the higher rate of educated Asian population and global economy, those newly immigrated or first & second generations tended to build up their own arc in regards to their lifestyle. Such suburbs were introduced as “Ethnoburb” by Dr. Li in 1997. In Los Angeles, we can find such higher income Chinese suburbs in Rowland Heights, Heights Arcadia, Walnut, and Monterey Park. Especially in Monterey Park, the city has a nickname, Small Taipei, and the Chinese American makes up over 70% of population in that community.  


October 16, 2010

Entry 11: All-Hybrid Taxi in Big Apple


In May 2007, New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, announced that all city’s Ford Crown Victoria yellow cab fleet have to be replaced by more fuel-efficient vehicles under mayor’s environmental agenda. In such agenda, Mayor wishes to reduce Big Apple’s greenhouse emission by 30% by 2030. Such agenda sent signals to the world that sustainable development is essential for the future city development.

According to “Mayor Plans an All-Hybrid Taxi Fleet” in the New York Times, such agenda has many benefits for the city of New York.

  1. Rising taxi vehicle’s emission stander to 30 miles per gallon can reduced a significant 215,000 metric tons of carbon emissions a year; Big Apple emits about 58.3 million metric tons each year.
  2. Hybrids cost somewhere $7,000 to $10,000 more than the typical Town Car. However owners can expect to save up to $5,000 a year on gasoline. 
  3. “Green” also promotes city’s image & a way to attract new young talented workforce, because “New York is a city that is looked to around the world.”  


October 15, 2010

Entry 10: World's Fair or EXPO



World’s Fair or EXPO is one of the greatest ways to promote city's image. Throughout the history, many host cities use it to show their cultural value, political power, and agriculture or technology advancement. The biggest event in 2010 is definitely the EXPO 2010 in Shanghai China. The EXPO 2010 is so far the largest World’s Fair in many categories. The host site is the largest, which covered over 2.04 square mile in the city of Shanghai. The amount of visitors is the most; the official estimates to draw over 73 million people. Moreover this EXPO also has a record attendance with participants from 250 countries and international organizations.

The below is a list of some projects from the World’s Fair & to just give you an idea how such Fair implanted the city's image in all of us.


October 14, 2010

Entry 09: Gentrifiers are the New Colonist!


When we think about the city of San Francisco, we might picture it as one of the most liberal & tolerant cities in America. Because of its gay friendly image & diversity in terms of ethnicity. However it is not the same now if you are poor. The Mission District in San Francisco was kind like Harlem of the West that attracted lower-income people, especially the Latinos, to migrate there with hopes for work opportunities ever since the Gold Rush Period. However like many cities in America during the second half of the 20th century, San Francisco faced decentralization, suburbia phenomena & deindustrialization. As a result, the Mission District became the slum of San Francisco. Nonetheless, the Mission was still offering low-price renting & housing for the poor. But during the Dot-Com Boom, the City government used the incoming higher-income gentrifies to revitalize the Mission with belief to generate more money for the city. As result, commercial rents increased 41% & those poor vulnerable households were displaced. Yep! 41%! It is ridiculous & what kind of democracy are we talking about? Today the Mission is completely gentrified & San Francisco has one of the highest commercial rents in America. You can be tolerant & be as different as you want in San Francisco (with one condition) as long as you can Afford it… $$$$$!   


P.S. the Cover is from San Francisco Chronicle!



October 14, 2010

Entry 08: Pink Ribbon

In October 3rd, 2010, Denver hosted its own 18th annual Susan G. Komen Denver Race for the Cure (a.k.a Breast Cancer Awareness). According to the Denver Post, there were more than 50,000 men, women, & children participated in such event. Above Picture was from the Denver Post & we could see the Pink Ribbons were everywhere. In the early 90s’ the Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out pink ribbons to people in New York City to try to spread out the breast cancer awareness. Subsequently, pink ribbons become a symbol for expressing solidarity & breast cancer awareness.

During the 90s’ the pink ribbons & breast cancer awareness sprawled from New York City to the whole nation. Today every October is a breast cancer awareness month & we can see many pink ribbons were represented on TV, in the shops, cars, and cities to support such event. Moreover, such phenomenon makes the Breast Cancer Awareness the Number One most successful social movement in history. 


October 13, 2010

Entry 07: ASSHE '10 in Denver



I went to the AASHE conference last weekend. This conference was one of the biggest events for sustainability awareness and mostly targeted to campus initiatives across the United States. There were four different sections I went in this conference, each sections I went all dealing with different topics in regards to sustainability. My favorite section out of four I went was the Open-Space session dealing with intergenerational equity. During this session, we stimulated tons of conversations and ideas. We shared different opinions in terms of intergenerational inequity we are facing now and what are the potential solutions for this injustice and how to change our current behaviors and how to educate the public. Throughout our discussion or just the whole summit in general, we were not just about being “sustainability conservatives” but also a great network nationwide to share ideas and hope for a better America.

In the Open-Space session I went, our group talked and addressed the issue of intergenerational equity. We wanted to know what were the causes of our current conventional economic development and where are the rights for our grandchildren. Basically we came up with three main problems causing this intergenerational inequity phenomenon.  First of all, we all believed that the practice of industrialism narrowed the focus of improving our modern society and created extraordinary amount of toxic substances economically and environmentally, and it is unethical to leave this hazardous problem for the future generation to solve. Second, the exponential population growth and global economy over-consumed what the carrying capacity of Mother Nature could provide. This is unfair to give our future generation with an empty account of biocapacity. In addition, we all strongly felt that the consumerism was the main driving force in promoting our current short-term conventional economic system and competition of GDP growth worldwide. We did not conclude our discussion with building solution frameworks for this intergenerational inequity since we ran out of time. However, we all strongly believed that changing our current practice of consumerism and educating the public are the most essential and fundamental steps towards the sustainability development. 


October 12, 2010

Entry 06: Passive House



Last Wednesday I went to one of the Sustainability Keynote series at our DU Law School, the speaker Katria Klingeberg who is a German architect talked about the ideas and concepts of “Passive House” and it’s potential for introducing them to the United States of America. So the fundamental principle of Passive House is “Minimize Losses First, then Maximize Gains.” Sounds pretty sexy hum! Basically Passive House is that it could be any building from as large-scale as skyscraper to the single residential apartment. Even the abandoned warehouses can be retrofitted to a Passive House.
         



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