Browsing by Author "Theart, Alwie"

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    Smart Growth : a sustainable solution for our cities
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2007-03) Theart, Alwie; Muller, J. I.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Management and Planning.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The greatest challenge for our time is to ensure the preservation of our environment and the well being of our people. With this in mind and the fact that almost half of the world’s population is living in urban areas, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that cities develop in a sustainable manner. Cities are regarded as one of the most magnificent creations of human achievements, but when looking at urban areas around the world it can also be regarded as one of the most problematic achievements. The growth of cities is a natural process and an unstoppable progression of events. Modern cities have a major impact on the environment and to ensure successful reduction of this impact, certain problem areas will have to be identified and addressed without delay in order to be in a position to make any significant change in the long run. Interventions of some sort are needed to make living in cities as well as on the planet as a whole more sustainable. The big question is however, how this can be achieved? One of the possible new interventions is the Smart Growth Concept, which is a form of growth management. Although Smart Growth has been around from the early 70’s, it is still a new concept that has not been explored to its full potential. The concept is well known in America but in most countries around the world, including South Africa, it is still a vague concept, which needs more introductions, convincing and ultimately, implementation. Although this article will focus on the Smart Growth concept as a possible solution to creating sustainable cities, the critics do not all agree with this point of view. Enough evidence is however provided to prove that Smart Growth can make a difference in our daily lives. The main aim of this article is to provide the reader with enough information on the subject of Smart Growth, and address the criticism against the concept of Smart Growth, to be able to see the positive influence that the Smart Growth concept can have on our cities.