Final blog

My blog on urban lifestyles covered a number of topic that would be present in a day to day urban community. They range from sports, fast food, street vendors, prostitution, municipal waste and garbage disposal, industrialization and immigration, homelessness, apartment complexes and ghettos and slums. All the factors cover negative and positive elements affecting urban lifestyles and which are responsible for the way of life found in cities.

I commented on Kevin Ousman, Urbanosity blog called sweep them under the rug. It was definitely linked to my blog as we had the same views on homelessness within Trinidad and Tobago. We both wrote about seeing homeless people in the major cities being looked down upon like a piece of garbage on the ground.  Just like that garbage, the general view is that this is a private company's job to deal with and not a social issue that needs to be address by the government and non government agencies.  This shouldn't be the case.  A solution to this problem developed by the government is to provide low income housing which Nirvana Hanooman wrote about, in her blog Public housing - a chance for all.  She discussed how public housing should be a short term plan because it isn't the most ideal place to live and raise a family. Its designed for the low wage income people and excludes them from other areas in the city.  In my blog I suggested that these housing projects are normally located in degraded areas which aren't the most suitable living areas.  They are normally congested and in remote areas that would be greatly affected by natural disasters.  Although its better than being homeless it normally leads to an unsanitary and unhealthy lifestyle and helps to promote crime and violence in a society.  

I also commented on Alyssa Black's blog called Urban Places - place of recreation. In her blog she talks about the need for green spaces within urban communities, such as parks and savanna's. I agree that with the rise of sky scrappers and apartment complexes there is a need for green areas so people could feel like they are getting away from the concrete jungle.

Overall, urbanization comes as a result of population growth and industrialization.  People move into the cities because they expect to have a better life since there are more opportunities in the city than in their home environments.  The problems arise because it is usually poorer, unskilled laborers arriving in the cities.  When they arrive they contribute to the overcrowding and popularity of low income housing, crime and even homelessness.  Meanwhile, the more wealthy and educated live in suburban areas and travel into the central business district with the use of personal automobiles.  Those caught in the middle do the same using public transport.  

Sports provides a means and ways for those unskilled or uneducated youth to make their way out of urban areas by earning a means of income.  However, sports such as football and cricket require large spaces which are not found in abundance in urban areas.  More urban sports such as basketball are not given enough attention and as a result that method of escape tends to be cut off.  

As populations increase within cities, there is an increase in urbanization and urban lifestyle.  The result is a self-propagating cycle as the demand for more space and economic opportunities creates clustering and over-lapping of urban structures and cultures, which in turn create more demand for space and opportunities.  These have some positive aspects, such as industrialization and economic growth, but also have negative impacts including stresses on the natural environment as well as the issues observed.