Ecocities-Ch.2

The title of the chapter pretty much says it all, The City in Evolution. Register goes through a brief summary of how the universe was formed, and how the evolution of life, mankind, and the city has taken place. The key point seems to be that people need "miniplexion", or to make things smaller. This is because the human population is huge compared to all other evolutionary existence, and also because nature tends to manage itself in this way as well. Personally, this book is great so far. It's easy to read, and there are tons of really cool pictures. Best of all everything that is said seems to be useful, instead of repetitive. If anything this book is a bit philosophical, I actually like that, but I can see how to some the idea of linking all the systems in the world to make sense for one purpose, ecocities, wouldn't be attractive. This book can be related back to our class, and at least our team project, in that it explains very well what the "it" in Joan's slides is that we're all looking for. At least I am (looking for it). Which brings me to me. This book also holds my attention because it seems to organize all the jumble of thoughts I've been having about how a city should be organized since I was a child. A city should be dense, artistic, attractive, safe, provide necessities, and be friendly. And did I mention the pictures...? They're really cool, and though they have this 'utopian' feel about them they still seem very feasible. I feel as though they can happen, they bring hope and anticipation for the future.

Beatley's reading wasn't so glamourous to me. I can't stand that book! The things Beatley writes about are important and interesting, but he repeats himself so many times. If he were only concise... All I get from that book is that Europe is doing this and that (though not all of Europe), and the US is doing this and that. I don't feel as though the importance or relevance between the two places is well analyzed. Casestudies are given, and he tries to explain why culturally or whatnot these differences exist, but he doesn't spend near enough time on this. How this is related back to the realworld...well, I suppose some use is to jot down the cities that are doing things, and hopefully one day figure out why what happens one place doesn't happen everywhere.

My social and ecological "goals". My ecological goal has been going well, at least I think. I'm starting to realize that it is about starting with one little thing at a time and after accomplishing that moving on to something else. Or else it just seems overwhelming. I don't use a noise to sleep now, or a radio to do work, or water running to brush my teeth. It took a bit of being aware the first couple of weeks, and now it's almost without thought. Of course it feels strange to do, or not do, something you're used to. It's like crossing your arms the opposite way...you just keep doing it until eventually it doesn't feel strange anymore. After that noise problem was feeling a bit better I went ahead and started a different goal for myself, that is, I started to recycle at home. I felt terrible for never doing it before but it was just never as important to spend the time to take care of that rather than do my schoolwork. I suppose I can include in my social accomplishments that I got my housemate to recycle as well. Although she wasn't exactly opposed to it either, it just didn't seem that important either. It's strange to think I believe something should be done, I just didn't believe my time would mean too much. That's sad. I guess what got me to do it, besides this class and other than wanting to do it before, was finally just being aware of what I was throwing away. I actually started paying attention and suddenly the guilt and importance of it all felt more real. My other social goal was to get a non-for-profit I know of to recycle...I made a few phone calls, but I'm a little hesitant to make the next one. That would be calling the director and asking him what type of building they qualify under in order to find out the fee amount. I'm not too sure he'll be happy about a fee to recycle. I think it's difficult for them to have money for other things they may consider more important, in this light, recycling only seems like an extra luxury...and so a waste of money. Its that whole social justice thing over and over again. People will take care of their basics before they can even think of taking care of others because that's what it seems like. I need to eat, I'll make sure to get the cheapest food. I don't care if it's not local, buying local food means less food for my money. In other words, it's sacrificing my needs for the well-being of a seemingly non-existent "community". On that note, I don't think "communities" are very concrete in people's minds, they're more like some abstract word we use like 'peace' and 'hope'...and 'justice'. Well, that's where I'm at on my goals.