3 ms·
The environmental impact is still number_of_individuals * mean_consumption. Urban areas often use more resources and generate more waste due to higher levels o
by myshpa 3y ago
The environmental impact is still number_of_individuals * mean_consumption.
Urban areas often use more resources and generate more waste due to higher levels of economic activity. This contributes to a bigger environmental footprint.
Cities can also shift some of their environmental impact to rural areas or other states or countries where things like food production, resource extraction and waste disposal happen.
So, the true environmental cost of cities is often higher than it appears, especially when you consider the carbon emissions from transporting goods and waste.
- ImPostingOnHN 3y ago> The environmental impact is still number_of_individuals * mean_consumption. you're basically just defining the mean here, this misses the point that cities are more efficient, making their mean consumption per capital lower
- myshpa 3y agohttps://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37364865 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37364865
- ImPostingOnHN 3y agohttps://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37364515 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37364515
- myshpa 3y ago> you're basically just defining the mean here No, I'm not. The environmental impact of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Los Angeles, California, will differ significantly, even if they have similar populations and technology levels. When it comes to meat consumption alone, citizens of Addis Ababa consume approximately 5-10 kg per year, while in the USA, it's about 125 kg per year. The difference in consumption, or affluence, is the critical parameter here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_meat_consumption https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_meat_cons...
- ImPostingOnHN 3y agoa better comparison would be the per capita impact of residents in downtown LA vs LA suburbs
- lwansbrough 3y agoThis is pretty much entirely wrong and backwards. Cheers.
- myshpa 3y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_%3D_PAT https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_%3D_PAT I = (PAT) is the mathematical notation of a formula put forward to describe the impact of human activity on the environment. I = P × A × T The expression equates human impact on the environment to a function of three factors: population (P), affluence (A) and technology (T). The variable A in the I=PAT equation stands for affluence. It represents the average consumption of each person in the population