Nature First
How would you design the city of the future?
Albert Einstein
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better”. Nature can help you escape from daily stress and keep you grounded.
I would put nature first. Everything in the city has to be environmentally friendly from the buildings to how the waste is disposed of rather than heading for landfill or incineration. This might not be what others want to hear, but the human race needs to be less materialistic.
We all have basic needs from a home to fresh food, water and clean air. The planet has enough land for everyone to have a place to live, land to grow food and to create a community. At one time in history, every race had a place to call home.
Our drive for wealth is consuming us and destroying the planet. From war to consumerism the more we have the more we want.
What should we be focusing on? In a mad rush for wealth, we are destroying our planet. It is as though the only way to live a fulfilled, happy life is to be rich. To own status symbols, expensive clothes, houses, cars and jewellery. If you can’t work your way up the ladder of success then turn to crime or migrate to a wealthier country.
In the past, we worked to gain money to buy the things we couldn’t make for ourselves, but in our modern world, it is all about statute symbols. Everything has to be bigger and better than everyone else.
In my city, it would be about how much of the natural beauty everyone could see and enjoy. Most people you speak to want a room with a view, and wide-open green spaces but in Britain today we are losing farmland and green spaces as our population growth is much faster than expected. In countries around the world, their populations are diminishing as people search for a better life.
Money might buy you a bigger house in the country, but what would happen if everyone could afford that house?
Would it lose its appeal or value?
The migrants rushing to Britain in small boats seeking fame and fortune are going to be disappointed when they discover Britain is on a downward spiral as the gap between the wealthy foreign investors and the poorer Indigenous people grows. Lack of investment in the infrastructure of British hospitals, schools, roads and British business by the British means all the wealth that put the great into Britain has been taken aboard.
Yorkshire Most of the hard-working British tax-payers work for the benefits system, to pay the wages of the politicians, police, and armed forces while sending money to the more wealthy countries aboard.
What if we could go back to creating communities across the world where people could have safe havens that fit each cultures needs instead of a few diverse countries?
This doesn’t mean cultures shouldn’t mix but have their own space to grow while creating more harmony in the world.
What makes the world or even a city an interesting place to visit is our differences.
If every city around the world looked like New York, London or Paris what would be the point of going to visit them?
London It’s our different way of living, foods and way of doing things and our style of dress which gives our uniqueness.
So I wouldn’t want to just create one city in one place but many cities across the globe all focusing on the natural resources and culture of that country. Building a safe environment for the people who work together providing what is needed for a healthy life, with minimum impact on the environment.
Of course, my dream could never become a reality because humanity is too self-obsessed and greedy.
Be kind to yourself and at peace with the world.
Remember to count your blessings.
