Prof. Bjelland to give talk on “the greenest city in the world”

Mark Bjelland (Geography) will present at Faculty Shop Talk on Friday, February 22. His talk entitled, “Sustainable for Whom? Density, Family Life, and Commuting in the Greenest City in the World” will be presented at 4:30 p.m. in the Interpretive Center. Dr. Bjelland’s study explores the successes, failures, and unintended consequences of Vancouver, British Columbia’s attempts to manage growth in an ecologically sustainable manner. In the City of Vancouver’s quest to become the greenest city in the world, it has focused on redeveloping derelict industrial lands, densifying existing neighborhoods, and prioritizing public transit, walking, and bicycling. Evidence suggests that sustainable urban living has become a highly desirable, positional good within the Vancouver region, although not adopted by all social groups.