The case study that I chose to read and learn about was the one about air pollution and transportation in Singapore (source: Colby – Sustainable Development ~ http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/air-sing.html ). In this case study, it describes how in Singapore there is a really big increase in the amount of cars on the road. With that, of course, came a huge increase in the amount of traffic on the road and pollution in the air. So in an attempt to rectify this, they set a law where in a certain district no cars are allowed on the roads for almost three hours. The only people allowed on the road is people who buy a license for $80/month, are carpooling, and a few public transportation options. This relates back to what the module was saying about how our world is developing pretty drastically and these changes can be good, but can also have negative affects and we need to make steps towards fixing these problems now before it is too late.
The second case study that I chose was one on Mexico City, Mexico (source: http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Resources/Publications/Pages/ArticleDetails.aspx?PublicationID=567 ). Similar to the case study on Singapore, Mexico City is growing rapidly with more and more cars and people, as well. Again, while growth is good, it also brings along some negative effects with it, unfortunately. In an effort to rectify this, the government put PIICA and PROAIRE in place. There are many things that these organizations do, but the one in particular that was mentioned in this case study was that they put a ban on some road use one day a week, but sometimes that is flexible depending on the circumstance. All cars must also get certified every six months. The other main thing Mexico City is trying to do to help this problem is getting the word out there that we all need to make personal changes, which is something that I took away from the module, as well. The little changes we make can add up to big ones and make big differences.
I live in the Philadelphia area and when I was doing research on how air pollution is handled in the area, I found an interesting article about New Jersey (which is right next to Philly). It was saying how the focus there is more so on improving the overall air quality but cleaning the air and trying to get car companies to sell environmentally friendly cars, rather than limiting the amount of car access that is allowed on the road. This was obviously different than what was happening in Singapore and Mexico City where they are limiting car usage allowed on the roads. Overall, this just goes to show that we need to be aware of how our actions can affect the environment (in particular here: the air) around us. We also need to understand how we can change our ways (i.e. carpooling, taking public transportation, walking, etc.). It’s so important to read the facts and know how much damage we are truly doing and taking actions to fix it.
Hey Melanie! My name is Shanda. Here’s a link to my blog for module 5! https://wp.me/p3RCAy-bAC
Just like you, I too focused on the air pollution in Mexico City. I was unaware that a similar study was done in Singapore! I think that the carpooling idea makes sense, but I talked a lot in my post about convenience being a huge factor for change. I live in Pittsburgh, which is still dealing with air pollution issues to this day. I just recently bought a car, and I have to say that I ended up with a car that has an “eco” light to aid in Co2 emissions. I never noticed the push for ecofriendly cars in my city util you pointed it out!
Hi Melanie, my name is Kristin. I found your post interesting because I too chose case studies that had to do with air pollution. However the cases I studied focused in on how certain companies in developing countries negatively impacted the environment where as your focused on pollution from all people during transportation. I found it very interesting how they shut down certain roads one day a week in Mexico City and three hours a day in Singapore, I never knew that! I too am from the Philly area and it is a shame that we aren’t really doing much to help this pollution. We need to make more people aware of the negative impact and take little steps towards fixing air pollution. Every person counts!
If you want to check out my blog post here is the link:
https://wp.me/p3RCAy-bAz
Hey Melanie, I’m Michele and I found your blog post interesting essentially because I can relate to the third part of your text. I’m from New York City and I can very much understand the struggle of living in a large city and having to deal with the very polluted air. In places like New York or Philadelphia, you can literally smell and see where all these environmental issues and climate change stem from. I do agree that it is our duty, as citizens of the world to contribute positively to a more sustainable lifestyle especially in large cities that are more prone to pollution and toxins. Here’s a link to my blog post: http://geog030.dutton.psu.edu/2016/02/26/module-5-2/
Hi Melanie my name is Jonah Kim and here is a link to my blog: http://geog030.dutton.psu.edu/2016/02/26/module-5-development-case-studies-9/#respond
I like what you said about Mexico City. I agree that it is important for everybody to do their part. If everybody does small things every day it can add up to big things. This point reminded me of my blog post where I talked about how limiting the spots of where people can fish will help the fish population. This is one small thing that can have a big impact on a long term scale.