The countryside is for the birds

The countryside is for the birds

From Monster Under the Bed by European Investment Bank

September 30, 2019 · 28 min · Season 1 · Episode 3

About this episode

This episode challenges the notion that urban living is worse for the environment than country living, exploring the benefits of well-planned cities.

Forget the dystopian images of overcrowded, polluting cities. When urban life is well-planned and well-managed it’s better for the environment than country living. We all know the dystopian image of city life—smog, roads jammed with traffic, high prices and noise. Listen to this installment of our myth-busting show to find out: ·        Where did cities come from? What were the instincts that first drove us to live close together? And are these reasons still valid today? ·        Where did cities mess up? (Where did the dystopian image of cities as places with a low quality of life come from?) ·        What is mixed planning and is it an entirely good thing? (No mixed reviews at all!) ·        How country living is expensive for society and creates social isolation. ·        Why urban sprawl is the real monster we should fear—not life in well-planned, well-managed, compact towns. ·        And how deserting the countryside can actually be a boon…

People in this episode

Guests: Brendan McDonagh, Grzegorz Gajda, Stefanie Lindenberg

Topics covered

  • urban planning
  • environment
  • social isolation
  • country living
  • urban sprawl
  • mixed planning

Keywords

  • urban life
  • dystopian cities
  • environmental impact
  • social dynamics
  • natural capital
  • urban development

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: European Investment Bank

Places: Luxembourg

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