Resources

Learning Objectives

• Assess the current state of resource allocation.
• Devise new methods to meet growing demands.
• Explain what a sharing economy means for infrastructure.

Agenda

1. Discuss Carbon Zero Chapter 1 Links to an external site.
2. Slides - Resource Depletion.
3. Activity - Sharing Economy.
4. Complete Discussion and Assignments.

Connections to Urban Growth

Urban areas must become increasingly part of the sustainability solution (i.e. solving the worlds biggest problems). With the majority of people living in urban areas there are a lot of opportunities. As we learned last class, urban areas provide inherent efficiencies but these alone are not enough. We are still consuming more of the worlds natural resources. Urban areas are expanding. This requires more energy, water, and materials.  

Today's class is about managing these resources (so they don't run out), looking for deep efficiencies, and leveraging the characteristics of urban areas to do so. 

Resource Allocation

Slides Links to an external site.

Sharing Economy

1. Google/research a technology or startup company working in the sharing economy. What solution do they provide? What level of the waste hierarchy? Why is this exciting to you?  
2. Complete a SWOT analysis (google to learn what SWOT stands for) on the company/technology (this will help you answer your discussion questions below). 
3. Post the technology/startup and your SWOT analysis prior to the end of class. 

Discussion 

Read Carbon Zero - Chapter 5: Consumption: Sharing capacities to cut carbon Links to an external site..  Can the sharing economy create a more sustainable future?  Explain why or why not (be specific, provide an example and facts/numbers/etc..) Discussion Sharing Economy.

Assignment 

Google "Urban Metabolism" to search for answers to the questions below. Post your responses here (the 100 word limit does not apply). 

1. In your own words, define urban metabolism.
2. How does urban metabolism relate to the class topic about resource management? 
3. What use are urban metabolism studies/research for planning and designing infrastructure?
4. Typically, urban metabolism includes measuring energy, water, materials and nutrient flows. In terms of sheer mass/quantity, which is the largest component of urban metabolism? Support your answer with at least one citation (APA format). 
5. List one insight you learned from googling/searching about urban metabolism that is not represented in questions 1-4.

Resources 

Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed Links to an external site. 

Infrastructure: The Social Value of Shared Resources Links to an external site.

Designing for zero waste: consumption, technologies and the built environment Links to an external site.

What's Mine Is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption Links to an external site.