What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sustainable City
Living sustainably is not just about preserving the wilderness or keeping nature pristine. The transition to a green economy depends on cities. For the first time in human history, the majority of the people on the planet live in urban areas. If we are to avert climate catastrophe, we will need our cities to coexist with nature without destroying it. Many places are already investing in the infrastructure of the future―including renewable energy, energy efficiency, mass and personal transit, and advanced sewage and waste management―but the modern city still has a long way to go.
In The Sustainable City , Steven Cohen provides a broad and engaging overview of the urban systems of the twenty-first century, surveying policies and projects already under way in cities around the world and pointing to more ways progress can be made. Cohen discusses the sustainable city from an organizational-management and public-policy perspective that emphasizes the local level, looking at case studies of existing legislation, programs, and public-private partnerships that strive to align modern urban life and sustainability. From waste management in Beijing to energy infrastructure in Africa to public space in Washington, D.C., there are concrete examples of what we can do right now. Cohen synthesizes the disparate strands of sustainable city planning in an approachable and applicable guide that highlights how these issues touch our lives on a daily basis, whether the transportation we take, where our energy comes from, or what becomes of our food waste. Providing recommendations and insights with immediacy and relevance, this book has invaluable lessons for anyone seeking to link public policy to promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
In The Sustainable City , Steven Cohen provides a broad and engaging overview of the urban systems of the twenty-first century, surveying policies and projects already under way in cities around the world and pointing to more ways progress can be made. Cohen discusses the sustainable city from an organizational-management and public-policy perspective that emphasizes the local level, looking at case studies of existing legislation, programs, and public-private partnerships that strive to align modern urban life and sustainability. From waste management in Beijing to energy infrastructure in Africa to public space in Washington, D.C., there are concrete examples of what we can do right now. Cohen synthesizes the disparate strands of sustainable city planning in an approachable and applicable guide that highlights how these issues touch our lives on a daily basis, whether the transportation we take, where our energy comes from, or what becomes of our food waste. Providing recommendations and insights with immediacy and relevance, this book has invaluable lessons for anyone seeking to link public policy to promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
264 pages, Hardcover
Published November 21, 2017
19 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 25, 2019
An interesting and informative read - although I feel that some of the case studies were more a general study of where our cities are headed in the future (and the challenges they face in doing so), as apposed to a compelling example of why transitioning to sustainable alternatives is a great solution. Worthwhile.
March 6, 2022
I really appreciated this book as a primer on sustainable practices in urban settings. I think Cohen does a really fantastic job at presenting the pros and cons of a variety of different interventions. I feel like he also chose a really great selection to highlight the range of options being implemented around the globe. For example, his chapter on mass transit considered bus rapid transit systems in Bogota, high-speed rail in China, and Tesla in the US showing the range of options at are disposal.
That being said, I wish there was a little more depth on some of these issues. Maybe that's unfair to ask from a book that intends to be more of an intro to concepts, but I found myself wanting more detail and nuance for a lot of these issues, especially the chapter on the sharing economy. I think there's a lot of good that can be said about sharing resources, especially really resource-intensive ones like cars. But any discussion about Uber is remiss without mentioning the precarity of the gig economy and the impact it has on workers. The same goes for Airbnb. It has really cool potential to let you put money in the hands of locals and to gain intimate knowledge of an area as a tourist. At the same time, it's a significant driver of the affordable housing crisis in many cities and I feel like the chapter really glossed over some of these issues.
I think the book also failed to consider political and economic forces. It seems to present the existing technologies we could use if we but follow the blueprint. I agree that many of the cited examples would be perfect to implement in many of our cities, but the political and economic realities facing many cities make them unrealistic. Again, perhaps that wasn't part of the scope of this work, but I would have loved to see some discussion of how to navigate these complexities in order to implement these brilliant solutions.
All in all, a well-balanced look at some of the major issues cities face in the path to sustainability. This book is a great launching point for someone interested in learning about solutions. With the right supplements, this can be a great roadmap for the future.
That being said, I wish there was a little more depth on some of these issues. Maybe that's unfair to ask from a book that intends to be more of an intro to concepts, but I found myself wanting more detail and nuance for a lot of these issues, especially the chapter on the sharing economy. I think there's a lot of good that can be said about sharing resources, especially really resource-intensive ones like cars. But any discussion about Uber is remiss without mentioning the precarity of the gig economy and the impact it has on workers. The same goes for Airbnb. It has really cool potential to let you put money in the hands of locals and to gain intimate knowledge of an area as a tourist. At the same time, it's a significant driver of the affordable housing crisis in many cities and I feel like the chapter really glossed over some of these issues.
I think the book also failed to consider political and economic forces. It seems to present the existing technologies we could use if we but follow the blueprint. I agree that many of the cited examples would be perfect to implement in many of our cities, but the political and economic realities facing many cities make them unrealistic. Again, perhaps that wasn't part of the scope of this work, but I would have loved to see some discussion of how to navigate these complexities in order to implement these brilliant solutions.
All in all, a well-balanced look at some of the major issues cities face in the path to sustainability. This book is a great launching point for someone interested in learning about solutions. With the right supplements, this can be a great roadmap for the future.
April 1, 2018
Steven Cohen has produced a remarkable and well worth reading example of environmentalism which marries solid research with sopherific optimism. Don't get me wrong, this book is something everyone who loves the environment should pick up immediately. Anyone who loves the planet regardless of being left or right should pick this up. Why? Simply the stats and examples are so precise and comprehensive that it reads like a text book for a future society. This is how to do it, this is what you have to do, almost step by step. You can't argue with this research and exactness.
The problem, if there is one, is that the premise of the book appears to be that all you need to do is put the right technology and policies in place and before you know it we are ready for the future. The problem of inequality barely scratches the surface of this work. Waste is profitable, creating scarcity and having a strangle hold on resources is profitable and makes a small number of people powerful. Its not that we can't fix the environmental problems, its not simply a matter of following Steven Cohen's blue print.
Whether Kissinger actually said it or not there is some truth to the statement, "Who controls the food supply controls the people; who controls the energy can control whole continents; who controls money can control the world." Capitalism is not about stuff, its a zero sum game of power, and in that game the environment bedamned.
Political Economic control and its concomitant sabotage on the shared wealth and resources of the planet is whats stopping the environmental crisis from being solved. That said, if we are able to solve tackle inequality of power and wealth, we should then pick up Steven Cohen's book to see how to fix the planet.
The problem, if there is one, is that the premise of the book appears to be that all you need to do is put the right technology and policies in place and before you know it we are ready for the future. The problem of inequality barely scratches the surface of this work. Waste is profitable, creating scarcity and having a strangle hold on resources is profitable and makes a small number of people powerful. Its not that we can't fix the environmental problems, its not simply a matter of following Steven Cohen's blue print.
Whether Kissinger actually said it or not there is some truth to the statement, "Who controls the food supply controls the people; who controls the energy can control whole continents; who controls money can control the world." Capitalism is not about stuff, its a zero sum game of power, and in that game the environment bedamned.
Political Economic control and its concomitant sabotage on the shared wealth and resources of the planet is whats stopping the environmental crisis from being solved. That said, if we are able to solve tackle inequality of power and wealth, we should then pick up Steven Cohen's book to see how to fix the planet.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews