ENVIRONMENT & TECHNOLOGY WHAT IS A SUSTAINABLE CITY? WARM-UP READING SPEAKING Compila il questionario, poi con la classe commentate i risultati ottenuti per capire se la vostra città è una città sostenibile. Has your town got green spaces? Do you usually use local transport? Are there any bike paths in your town? Can you see charger stations for electric cars in your town? How is the quality of the Internet connection in your town? Has your school got a garden to grow vegetables or fruit? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. A sustainable city should be eco-friendly, have green spaces, reduce air pollution and CO2 emissions, improve air quality, and protect natural resources. In other words, it should be an urban centre designed to improve its environmental impact while also granting a high-quality lifestyle to people. Green technology is a key factor which includes all aspects of city planning, including transportation, infrastructures, telecommunications, recycling and the use of renewable energy in homes and offices (over 100 cities now get at least 70% of their electricity from renewable sources such as hydro, geothermal, solar and wind!). This type of city is becoming essential to fight global climate change. Six characteristics of a sustainable city Cities can do several things to be called sustainable and must have these six characteristics: : sustainable cities should create paths , bike bridges and sidewalks and encourage citizens to walk, ride, or use local transport; Make it easy to get around without a car : hybrid and electric cars can dramatically reduce toxic emissions, so the presence of many charging stations is fundamental to encourage the use of those cars; Add electric charging stations (parks and recreational areas); Provide access to public resources and green spaces : programmes to minimise waste by recycling, composting, and reusing materials are crucial; Improve waste management , which improves food production and the environmental effects of food transportation. It includes vertical gardens, rooftop farming, community gardens, and encouraging schools and restaurants to grow food; Support urban farming : green architects are discovering innovative ways to reduce the use of resources and gas emissions, from using natural building materials and solar panels, to improving ventilation and insulation , and planting more trees. Implement green architecture Sustainable Australia Two of the world's most sustainable cities are in Australia. Canberra, considered the world's most sustainable city, has solar energy and wind farms as main energy sources. Besides this, it has an excellent public transport service that runs on clean energy and lets people leave cars at home. Also, it ensures that 97% of their residents have Internet access to make Canberra a connected city. Brisbane also has a strict programme to protect native plants and wildlife, creating a perfect balance between nature and inhabited areas. By 2031, 40% of mainland Brisbane will be natural habitat and carbon emissions from energy, waste and transport will be reduced by about 50%. GLOSSARY : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : achievement raggiungimento agreement accordo to design progettare to ensure assicurare to grant garantire insulation isolamento path sentiero pollution inquinamento to provide fornire renewable rinnovabile rooftop tetto sidewalk marciapiede strict rigido treaty trattato waste rifiuti