Democratizing the Green City
Green cities present us with a paradox: everyone agrees that our future lies in cities and that these cities need to be greener and more sustainable. But zoom in on any given project and, over and over, the same problem presents itself: too often green progress reinforces social inequality. Greening a place—either by reducing pollution or increasing livability—raises its economic value. Those who cannot afford to stay find themselves forced out. Is it possible to break this link between environmental improvement and social displacement? What are robust strategies for greening cities in a democratic fashion—with equitable outcomes, broad participation in shaping urban futures, and vigorous contestation between competing projects? Life in cities cannot continue without sophisticated and intensive greening, but democracy in cities cannot survive the increasing polarization of inequality—sometimes called eco-apartheid—that current greening strategies so often encourage. This collective research and network-building project aims to bring academic and community resources to bear on this issue, joining other groups in New York and around the world.
Events 20
Dec 4, 2017 | 12:00pm — 2:00pm
240 Rachel Carson College Service Road
Santa Cruz CA, United States
Feb 17, 2017 | 5:00pm — 7:00pm
1 Washington Place
5th Floor New York, NY 10003
Jan 10, 2017 | 12:30pm — 2:00pm