Conclusion and Reflection

Conclusion and Reflection

“One hundred and fifty years ago, the monster began; this country had become a place of industry. Factories grew on the landscape like weeds. Trees fell, fields were up-ended, rivers blackened. The sky choked on the smoke and ash, and people did, too, spending their days coughing and itching, their eyes turned forever toward the ground. Villages grew into town, towns into cities. And people began to live on the earth rather than within it.” – Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls.

                                                              View of the City

The end is here, my final post in my mission to unveil the Life of the Urban Monster-Pollution. The series of blog entries was an assignment given by my Urban Geography lecture aimed at promoting informative dialogue of urban geography issues, discussions and factual information from the Caribbean and around the world. It has been an enlightening learning experience for me, not only in capturing pictures that depicted aspects of urban pollution, but to express and explore my thoughts through writing. I believe reflective writing is an effective medium that can be use to express one’s inner thoughts especially for introverts (like me).  I am thankful to my lecture for this opportunity to put my ideas in writing and to develop my research skills. This inspiring experience spurred on my interest in urban pollution and passion to care for my environment. It’s alarming to know how much we are at risk and exposed to pollution problems across the country, yet we give it little thought. 

For instance, every day we visit the city in our cars but little do we know the impacts of cars on the city. Cars are major contributors to environmental problems such as air and noise pollution, congestion and traffic. The emissions form cars exhaust pollute the atmosphere and cause major health problems such as respiratory diseases, lungs cancer and asthma. The harmful emissions also contribute to climate change. In addition, cars cause economic impacts due to congestion, businesses are forced to close down as costumers are discourage to visit the city having spent long hours caught in traffic jams. Car pollution and congestion present  significant environmental problems within the city.

This assignment incorporated my entire “GEOG 2016” class, and in concluding I’d like to draw reference to three of my classmates’ blogs which have highlighted similar issues related to my topic.

• My classmate Shelisa, highlighted the various aspects of congestion such as crowded streets with people, buildings and traffic in a series of informative post on this topic. In one of her post entitled “The City of Commerce- Banker’s Lane” she clearly expresses the fact that Port of Spain is the center of all activities and as such this creates the urban problem of congestion. This is due to the high densities of people and traffic concentrated within the city. The issue of congestion in the city stimulates several forms of pollution namely noise and air pollution. 

• http://urbancongestiontrinidad.blogspot.com/

The city is known for busy Central Business District (CBD) filled with businesses, street vending and lots of customers.  After store owners make “big blue dollars” on a daily basis, they dispose their waste on the pavements and along the streets contributing to land pollution in the city. But it’s not only store owners to be blamed, the citizens of Trinidad also dispose of their waste until public bins are filled to the brim. This is a displeasing site to see large volumes of waste, food boxes, bottles and paper scatter on the ground. 

• My classmate Faheem, in his post entitled “Urban Trashing of the Environment” pinpoints the norms of citizens in the Princes Town area disposing significant amount of solid waste in urban spaces. My classmate also recognized the fact that the Beetham Landfill would reach its capacity shortly and there is the need to reduce the amount of waste generated on a daily basis. 
• http://urbanenviropollution.blogspot.com/ 

Angry residents of the Beetham community often set fires to the landfill in attempts to let their voices be heard. They also engage in fiery protest and dispose their waste along the wall of their community leaving a displeasing sight for anyone to see when entering the city. 

Cities are not only polluted by trash, or congestion but the often forgotten population of the city the vagrants and homeless people. Many vagrants and homeless people are seen hanging and sitting around in the parks, benches, lawns and at the side of pavements especially in Port of Spain. Citizens are afraid of being attack, beaten or harassed for money and food. This discourage lots citizen’s form visiting the city as this neglected population utilize public spaces for sleeping, relaxing and defecating. They pollute public spaces and after heavy rainfall their waste are washed into the drains as surface runoff. Therefore, Seelots slum community should not only be blamed for polluting water quality, but also the homeless or vagrant population. A point to note is that vagrants or the homeless are seen living on the streets due to their inability to afford a basic home and the governments should do more to ensure basic housing for the homeless.

• My classmate Kizzy-Ann wrote a very reflective post entitled “Offer me a house…. and then a job” as she expresses her true opinion of the way in which persons treat homeless people. She feels disheartening, distressing, disgusting and dissatisfying by the fact that many citizens are unaware and unconcerned for homeless people. They are part of our society and the population therefore, their voices are to be heard and their needs are to be fulfilled. Kizzy- Ann thinks that a lot more can be done to improve the lives and living conditions for homeless. She also recommend that rehabilitation centers and housing should be provided by the government as efforts to curb homelessness in the city.

• http://urbanisationandhousing.blogspot.com/

In this blog, I did not mentioned measures taken to reduce pollution in the city and promote healthier lifestyles as much I wanted to. In order to reduce pollution in the city, consulting geographic planners during decision making process can be implemented. Geographic planners would strongly recommend the need for sustainable infrastructure in curbing pollution in the city. These may include reducing automobile density in the city by travel link and communication, modes- carpooling and public transport and travel of peak hours to reduce congestion (Hall and Barrett 2012).  For instance, people who car pool are allowed to use the Priority Bus Route during certain hours and the Water Taxi Service all help to lessen vehicular emissions and traffic. 

These measures can be a success through education awareness, managing road capacity by having one lane going into the city and three lanes exiting the city. Further, if cities practice the process of decentralization to reduce pollution, a system of mix use development can be implemented. There is the establishment of service within residential communities or small towns reducing the need of making long journey’s to the city. 

Jane Jacobs argues, “Spaces between places need to be plan in order to have spaces within places need to be considered”.

Therefore, the government of Trinidad and Tobago should ensure that proper Geographic planning is applied to urban spaces and citizens should make every effect to reduce pollution in the city. This assignment has impacted my way of thinking, broaden my understanding and spark much appreciation for my natural environment. As the Greek philosopher Plato said, “The city is what it is because our citizens are what they are…”

References

Goodreaders. 2014. “Quotes About Pollution”. Accessed April 9, 2014. http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/pollution

BrainyQuote. 2001.”City Quotes”. Accessed April 9, 2014. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/city.html