Economic Degrowth - Essay Example

? Economic Degrowth Number and Number Number of Words 014 Q How many cities change in a society focused on degrowth? There are quite a number of Canadian municipalities that currently in the process of economic degrowth (Kennedy, 2010). Located in the Bay Area in California, the three slow growth cities in the United States include the Fairfax, Sebastopol, and Sonoma Valley (Reinhardt, 2011). When travelling to work places, there is also a significant shift from the use of private cars to public transportation in 24 medium- and large-sized1 cities throughout the United Kingdom (National Statistics, 2004). This is a good sign of economic degrowth. In terms of enhancing consumers’ health, the working condition of the workers, and preserving the available economic and natural resources for future generations, the transition stage from economic growth to degrowth is one of the most unique political breakthrough that took place in the United States (Latouche, 2007). In line with this, Kennedy (2010) explained that cities that is undergoing degrowth process is characterized by a limited population density and self-sufficient even though there was a shift from urbanization to rural way of living. In general, the population of cities that is undergoing degrowth process is usually below 10,000 residents per city (Bliss, 2011; Reinhardt, 2011). Depending on the size of geographic area, population size of degrowth cities can be less than 50,000 (Mathivet, 2009). Because of the limited production and consumption of goods, cities that are focused on degrowth are the ones that could preserve their existing natural resources and energy resources without sacrificing the standards of living of people living in these cities. Q.2 How may this area be influenced by degrowth? At the end of the document you will see a table with your name appearing alongside a particular theme (transport, housing, multifunctional urbanism, decision making processes, use of environmental technologies.) What area have you been invited to focus on: Housing Inflation rate in the United Kingdom has significantly increased from 3.0 up to 5.0 between January 2009 up to January 2011 respectively (National Statistics, 2011). Because of the increasing trend in the annual CPI inflation rate and interest rates in the US and UK market, the selling price of single detach houses has been significantly increasing over the past few years (Nordvik and Gulbrandsen, 2009). In 2001, there were as much as 215,000 companies building roughly 146,000 single-detached houses (Glaeser, 2004). As a consequence in the high market prices of single detached houses, there is a shift from the demand for expensive single detached houses to low-cost and more affordable multi-unit housing projects such as townhouses, apartment buildings, dormitories, or condominium units (Murray, 2011; Reference for Business, 2011; Johanisova, Crabtree, and Frankova, 2010; Glaeser, 2004). In line with this, there are some constructors who are already designing multi-unit housing projects using low-cost pre-fabricated housing materials (Reference for Business, 2011). There are socio-economic advantages associated with the shift from single-detached houses to multi-unit houses. First, it is possible to increase the supply of affordable housing units to meet the increasing population in US and UK (Glaeser, 2004). Aside from effectively protecting the environment from the adverse consequences of consuming too much electricity, degrowth in the housing industry is also more economical on the part of the consumers in terms of decreasing the cost of maintaining the quality of small-unit houses (Crawford and Heller, 2010; Register, 2010). Q.3 What has already been envisaged or put in practice that would be welcomed by a de-growth society? Give some examples and indicate the impact/ results of these 'alternatives' (e.g. from slow-cities to the setting up of autonomous communities and the recuperation of community; from carpooling to transition towns; from voluntary simplicity, squatting to collective gardens…) Aiming to promote the importance of economic degrowth, there has been some significant changes that has already been put into practice. To make the city green, the government in each city should encourage the people to make it a habit to plant fruit-bearing trees, flowers, and food garden (Register, 2010). Specifically in London, there are as much as 400 members who are working together as part of the local initiative to promote the development and creation of new park outside the public areas such as the churches, schools and library, train stations, and doctors’ lounges (Transition Network, 2011). To ensure that natural resources such as trees will be abundant in the cities, it is necessary to reduce the land spaces by narrowing the streets, eliminating the land spaces used as parking lot, make use of renewable energy resources, recycle waste materials, and promote the need to construct tall residential and commercial buildings rather than constructing single detach houses and/or warehouses (EcoCity Builders, 2011; Crawford and Heller, 2010; Register, 2010). Specifically with regards to buildings and the use of environmental-friendly energy resources, Kensal and Kilburn in London gathered a total of 230 individuals to assist in the search for new ways to improve building and residential insulation aside from promoting the use of renewable energy resources (Transition Network, 2011b). Since there is a strong need to reduce the amount of land spaces used as parking spaces, it is possible to reduce the number of private cars and trucks by enhancing the and increasing the number of public transportation utilities, increase taxes and market prices of gasoline (Crawford and Heller, 2010; Register, 2010). Since vehicles that uses gasoline or diesel increases the emission of carbon which could be very harmful to our health and ecosystem, it is necessary to increase the market prices of vehicles and gasoline to decrease its demand. To lessen the harmful effects of carbon emissions, there is a need to increase the supply of electric cars or vehicles that uses biogas or ethanol (Bouchard-Fortier et al., 2011). Implementing this strategy will encourage more people to walk or use bicycle when travelling to nearby places. It is also necessary to construct tall residential and commercial buildings. In line with this, increasing the market competition in the construction of residential and commercial buildings in each city will make the market prices of condominium units more affordable for the local residents. Since the amount of floor areas in each residential unit will be limited, the total energy consumption in each family will be reduced (Crawford and Heller, 2010). USE THIS SPACE TO MAKE NOTES ON THE IDEAS AND ARGUMENTS GIVEN IN THE SESSION FOCUSED ON CITIES AND DEGROWTH. In response to Kyoto Protocol, government intervention through fiscal policy is necessary to effectively implement strategies that will protect the environment from greenhouse gas emission in each city (Fournier, 2008; Victor and Rosenbluth, 2006). i.e. The government banned the lead blowers in Sonoma since the toxic substances it produces could make people suffer respiratory diseases such as asthma (Bliss, 2011; Reinhardt, 2011). Reducing the floor area in each residential or commercial building would mean reduction in total energy requirements particularly when maintaining heat or air-conditioning the rooms (Crawford and Heller, 2010). *** End *** References Bliss, S., 2011, January 10. Cittaslow. Leaf Blower Bans Expand in Cittaslow USA Towns. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Bouchard-Fortier, M., Brochier, L., Brun, J.-M., Cantin, J.-F., Lacomme, A., Laforte, J., et al., 2011. Quebec Movement for convivial degrowth. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Crawford, J., and Heller, M., 2010, March 26-29. Second Conference on Economic Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity. March 26-29th 2010, Barcelona. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. EcoCity Builders, 2011. The Solution. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Fournier, V., 2008. Escaping from the economy: the politics of degrowth. International Journal of Sociology , 28(11)/12, pp. 528-545. Glaeser, E., 2004. NBER Report. Housing Supply. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Johanisova, N., Crabtree, T., and Frankova, E., 2010, March 26-29. Social enterprises and non-market capitals: a path to degrowth? 2nd Conference on Economic Degrowth. For ecological sustainability and social equity. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Kennedy, J., 2010, June 1. CCPA. The Growth of Degrowth (Part 2). Vital degrowth movement boosted at Barcelona conference. 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GENERAL CONTRACTORS—RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS, OTHER THAN SINGLE-FAMILY. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Register, R., 2010, March 26-29. Second Conference on Economic Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity. March 26-29th 2010, Barcelona. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Reinhardt, J., 2011, January 30. Grown in the City. Slow Cities in California Go For Quality – and Good Food. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Transition Network, 2011, February 3. Finsbury Park. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Transition Network, 2011b. Kensal to Kilburn. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Victor, P., and Rosenbluth, G., 2006, March 8. Managing Without Growth. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18th January 2011]. Read More