Nature of Our Cities, The

In the tradition of Elizabeth Kolbert and Michael Pollan, The Nature of Our Cities is a stirring exploration of how innovators from around the world are combining urban nature with emerging technologies, protecting the planet's cities from the effects of climate change and safeguarding the health of their inhabitants.

We live in an age when humanity spends 90% of its time indoors, yet the nature around us-especially in America's cities-has never been more vital. This distancing from nature has sparked crises in mental health, longevity, and hope for the next generation, while also heightening the risks we face from historic floods, heatwaves, and wildfires. Indeed, embracing nature holds untapped potential to strengthen and fortify our cities, suburbs, and towns, providing solutions spanning flood preparation, wildfire management, and promoting longevity. As ecological engineer Dr. Nadina Galle shows in The Nature of Our Cities nature is our most critical infrastructure for tackling the climate crisis. It just needs a little help.

A fellow at MIT's Senseable City Lab and selected for Forbes' 30 under 30 list, Galle is at the forefront of the growing movement to fuse nature and technology for urban resilience. In THE NATURE OF OUR CITIES, she embarks on a journey as fascinating as it is pressing, showing how scientists and citizens from around the world are harnessing emerging technologies to unlock the power of the natural world to save their cities, a phenomenon she calls the "Internet of Nature." Traveling the globe, Galle examines how urban nature, long an afterthought for many, actually points the way toward a more sustainable future. She reveals how technology can help nature navigate this precarious moment with modern advances such as:

• Laser-mapping that identifies at-risk neighborhoods to fight deadly health disparities
• A.I.-powered robots that prevent wildfires from reaching urban areas
• Intelligent water gardens that protect cities from floods and hurricanes

• Advanced sensors that achieve 99% tree survival in dry, hot summers Optimistic in spirit yet pragmatic in approach, Galle writes persuasively that the future of urban life depends on balancing the natural world with the technology that can help sustain it. By turns clear-eyed and lyrical, THE NATURE OF OUR CITIES marks the emergence of an invigorating, prescient new talent in nature writing.

  Autorentext

Nadina Galle, Ph.D. is a Dutch-Canadian ecological engineer, technologist, and podcaster. Her work has been featured in documentaries produced by BBC Earth and in multiple print publications, including Newsweek, ELLE, and National Geographic. The recipient of several academic and entrepreneurial awards, including a Fulbright scholarship for a fellowship at MIT's Senseable City Lab, she was selected by Forbes' 30 under 30 list, and recently named a National Geographic Explorer for her work on how growing cities across Latin America are plugging into the Internet of Nature. She divides her time between Amsterdam and Toronto.

Klappentext

"In the tradition of Elizabeth Kolbert and Jonathan Doerr, THE NATURE OF OUR CITIES is a stirring exploration of how scientists from around the world are harnessing local ecology and innovative technology to protect the planet's cities from the effects of climate change. When it comes to nature, most people romanticize bucolic mountain scenery and verdant pine forests, but anyone who's ever lived in a city can tell you that nature has just as vital a role to play in urban landscapes. And with climate change altering life and mental health everywhere, nature can do more to aid and protect our cities, offering the potential to solve problems as diverse as flood preparation and wildfire management. As ecological engineer Dr. Nadina Galle argues, nature is our most critical infrastructure for tackling the climate crisis. It just needs a little help. A fellow at MIT's Senseable City Lab and selected for Forbes' 30 under 30 list, Galle has been at the forefront of the growing movement to use nature and technology together to prepare urban life for the climate challenges upon us. Now, in THE NATURE OF OUR CITIES, she embarks on a journey as fascinating as it is pressing, showing how scientists and engineers from around the world are harnessing the power of technology and the natural world to save their cities, a phenomenon she calls the "Internet of Nature." Traveling the globe, Galle examines how urban nature, long an afterthought for many, actually points the way toward a livable future for cities. She reveals how technology can help nature navigate this precarious moment with advances such as: - Firefighting robots inspired by ancient forest wisdom - Sensors that achieve 99% tree survival in increasingly dry, hot summers - Innovative smart ponds that collect and manage water surges from extreme weather Optimistic in spirit yet pragmatic in approach, Galle writes persuasively that the future of urban life depends on balancing the natural world with the technology that can help sustain it. By turns clear-eyed and lyrical, THE NATURE OF OUR CITIES marks the emergence of an invigorating, prescient new talent in nature writing"--

Zusammenfassung

In the tradition of Elizabeth Kolbert and Michael Pollan, The Nature of Our Cities is a stirring exploration of how innovators from around the world are combining urban nature with emerging technologies, protecting the planet’s cities from the effects of climate change and safeguarding the health of their inhabitants.

We live in an age when humanity spends 90% of its time indoors, yet the nature around us—especially in America’s cities—has never been more vital. This distancing from nature has sparked crises in mental health, longevity, and hope for the next generation, while also heightening the risks we face from historic floods, heatwaves, and wildfires. Indeed, embracing nature holds untapped potential to strengthen and fortify our cities, suburbs, and towns, providing solutions spanning flood preparation, wildfire management, and promoting longevity. As ecological engineer Dr. Nadina Galle shows in The Nature of Our Cities nature is our most critical infrastructure for tackling the climate crisis. It just needs a little help.

 A fellow at MIT’s Senseable City Lab and selected for Forbes’ 30 under 30 list, Galle is at the forefront of the growing movement to fuse nature and technology for urban resilience. In THE NATURE OF OUR CITIES, she embarks on a journey as fascinating as it is pressing, showing how scientists and citizens from around the world are harnessing emerging technologies to unlock the power of the natural world to save their cities, a phenomenon she calls the “Internet of Nature.” Traveling the globe, Galle examines how urban nature, long an afterthought for many, actually points the way toward a more sustainable future. She reveals how technology can help nature navigate this precarious moment with modern advances such as:

• Laser-mapping that identifies at-risk neighborhoods to fight deadly health disparities
• A.I.-powered robots that prevent wildfires from reaching urban areas
• Intelligent water gardens that protect cities from floods and hurricanes
• Advanced sensors that achieve 99% tree survival in dry, hot summers    Optimistic in spirit yet pragmatic in approach, Galle writes persuasively that the future of urban life depends on balancing the natural world with the technology that can help sustain it. By turns clear-eyed and lyrical, THE NATURE OF OUR CITIES marks the emergence of an invigorating, prescient new talent in nature writing.