Elements of a thrivable city

A thrivable city means a city which is not only sustainable, but which has:

• A minimal negative environmental impact, or even a positive impact.
• A high quality of life, peaceful, lush and pleasant, with an active community.

Thrivability is a new word, used to capture this idea of sustainability and positive impact not through sacrifice, but at the same time as living larger, more abundantly.

How do we achieve this, a sustainable city with a wonderful quality of life?

• Transit-oriented development with an efficient, comfortable public transport system.
• Cycle and walking paths.
• Walkable neighborhoods - every house within about five minutes walk of a local center and transport node.
• Congestion charges - putting a price on driving in the city center and other congested locations, but only when attractive alternatives exist.
• Ban burning of rubbish within the city, whether by individuals or councils, whether in piles or high-technology rubbish incinerators.
• Restrict the types of vehicle fuel sold within the city, as many deaths are caused by respiratory illnesses exacerbated by pollution.^[1] Biodiesel is much better for air quality than regular diesel, Biogas, LPG and LNG are better still, but nothing is as good as electric vehicles (hopefully charged using renewable energy).
• Grid pattern narrow streets, to encourage low speeds but short distances for car travel.
• Chicanes and similar traffic calming devices rather than speed bumps. (Slow down cars, rather than punishing them.
• High density housing at transport nodes, surrounded by medium density, all in a mixed-use pattern. This minimizes travel distance and time, reducing energy use, increasing the number of trips for social reasons, and thus increasing social capital.
• Encourage the creation of additional small units, to increase the supply of affordable housing.
• Public open space, including playgrounds, interspersed through the city.
• A near-natural water cycle, with rainwater harvesting, and groundwater recharge through gardens, swales, rain gardens and permeable pavements to mimic the natural ability of undeveloped land to absorb rain and runoff.
• Local food production, through community gardens and a community support program to help residents with low-maintenance food gardens (see lazy gardening).
• Restrictions on the types of packaging that can be used, e.g. only compostable wrapping for food products, to enable better processing of waste.
• Trees shade the streets and greenery covers the buildings, keeping temperatures low. (This assumes a city where heat is a problem. Deciduous trees let sun through, great for regions with distinct seasons. But what's the best thing for cold climates?{sp}})
• Building layout regulations such as building alignment/setback are made not on the basis of older US-centric suburban aesthetics, but mainly on the basis of practicality and efficient use of space. (Note that the most in-demand residential areas often follow this pattern of houses built close to the sidewalk.)

Notes

See also

• New Urbanism