Urban Environment
No matter how mundane a city’s origins, urban concentrations can have magical consequences. So says the great urban economist Edward Glaeser.
He points out that the Romans settled on an island in the Seine because it was a good spot to protect themselves against unfriendly Gauls. Two thousand years later we have Paris, one of the greatest centres of cultural and economic innovation on the planet.
Here in Australia, our cities are mere infants compared to Paris but, like cities pretty much everywhere, ours face an immense array of challenges. We are among the most urbanised of nations with three out of every four Australians living in cities. And though we might be good at farming and mining, it is our cities that generate 80 per cent of our wealth.
Continue reading "Cities, not the mines, are our economic powerhouses" »
You’d be laughed out of town if you said that you’d moved to regional Australia for the hustle and bustle, so why do people who live in big cities spend so much time complaining how noisy it is.
Message to city-dwellers: when you choose to live in a metropolis there’s a few things that you must accept.
a) It’s never going to be easy to find a parking spot. b) You’re probably going to have a frustratingly small wheelie bin that will be stolen more than a handful or times and, c) It’s never, never, ever, ever going to be quiet. Never.
Continue reading "Hey city-slickers, stop shouting about the noise" »
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Paranoia says:
I’d always thought buskers couldn’t have amplification, but it seems they do here in Brisvegas too. I actually live on the fringe of Ipswich CBD… and I don’t mind a bit of noise and people having a good time. I object to screaming out obscenities outside my door at 3am,… Read more »
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Sam says:
It is possible to have a conversation on any topic and in any language without disturbing those beyond a certain distance. It’s not public transport, it’s a zoo packed with boring animals like sheep and cattle. The worst offenders are young professional women on mobile phones. A more selfish and… Read more »
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