Draft #4
4:02 AMAccording to a report "This Detroit House Is Being Turned Into A Living Model Of Cost-Saving Sustainable Design" by A. Peters (2016).
He highlights the intention of the movement to build a sustainable household prototype in Detroit by three Netherland architecture graduates. The report states that the prototype, catered for people in low-income areas, serves as a platform to educate people on sustainable and cost-effective retrofits which can be accomplished by anyone. Peters explains that publicity was gained through partnerships with local communities which include collaboration with their University to create a master’s program on sustainability. He also points out that this would enable students to adopt this mindset and help cities around the world.
Therefore, in order for the movement to be made known to the different communities, raising awareness is essential. Hence, I believe collaborations with several organisations is necessary to help Detroit live up to the title of “Living Model” as to spur institutes from a different region to make a change in the environment.
Living in Singapore we are blessed with resources and technologies that the community of Detroit requires to refurbish their city. However, Williams (2010) mentioned Detroit as the beginning of sustainability movement. Detroit is being turned into an urban laboratory where researchers from different organisations coming together to formulate sustainable solutions (Ren, 2009). Renn even noted Detroit as "some of the most important urban innovations in 21st Century America. Intertwining the support of partnership and cost effective technologies on sustainability have brought economic and job opportunities to Detroit’s residences. This has to aid Detroit in paving a way out of poverty (Detroit Work Regional Workforce Fund, 2012). The sustainable solutions used in Detroit are likely to be a similar solution which could be executed by other communities in some form in years ahead (William, 2010). With Detroit leading by example, countries with struggling economies can follow suit and break out of the vicious cycle of poverty.
Awareness between human activities and environment are still lacking in the current society. Emphasis on the importance of sustainability is necessary so that the public would be more conscious and responsible for the environment. This also would strengthen the values and attitudes towards sustainability and allow the public to foster personal ownership towards the environment. In order to prepare communities to combat any future sustainable issues, educating the future generation is essential. This ensures that students are ready to transform society for the future (Chew, 2014). Institutes can collaborate with Grassroots organisations, having a common goal in mind, can come together through environment movements (Williams, 2010). Hence, fostering a strong partnership and reach to wider audience in raising community awareness on sustainability.
In conclusion, the movements towards becoming a sustainable Detroit has to be greatly publicised so that more socially responsible entities would participate to improve the state of Detroit. Furthermore, before claiming the title of “Living Model”, success from the movements, has to be witnessed so that developing countries would be inspired to carry out such sustainable movement.
References:
R. Williams. (2010, April 22). Green Detroit: Why the City is Ground Zero for the Sustainability Movement. Retrieved from
A. M. Ren. (2009, April 11). Detroit: Urban Laboratory and the new American Frontier. Retrieved from http://www.newgeography.com/content/001171-detroit-urban-laboratory-and-new-american-frontier
Detroit Work Regional Workforce Fund. (2012). Working Towards Sustainable Detroit. Retrieved from http://www.jff.org/sites/default/files/Green%2520Story_Final.pdf
Detroit Work Regional Workforce Fund. (2012). Working Towards Sustainable Detroit. Retrieved from http://www.jff.org/sites/default/files/Green%2520Story_Final.pdf
S. C. Chew (2014, February 27) Sustainability in Education. Retrieved from http://www.hss.ntu.edu.sg/Research/Clusters/EnvironmentandSustainability/efsasia/Documents/Sustainability%20in%20Education%20Asia%202014%20Summary%20Report.pdf
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