The World Islands . 300 artificially created islands in the shape of the world. Each island will have an estimated cost of $25-30 million.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) have made a LOT of money off of the sales of crude oil. The desert country (the western boundary is so desert the boundary remains undetermined even today) has decided to use its wealth to become the biggest and best of everything. Dubai has made many headlines with its over the top construction projects including artificial islands (as seen above and below) that represent palms and a map of the world.
This is Dubai, a city-state that has been on a rampage to make the biggest everything in the world, the biggest artificial islands (that is a one of their "palm islands" housing thousands of millionaire homes), largest indoor ski mountain, largest amusement park, largest shopping mall, highest building etc. etc.
This is Dubai, a city-state that has been on a rampage to make the biggest everything in the world, the biggest artificial islands (that is a one of their "palm islands" housing thousands of millionaire homes), largest indoor ski mountain, largest amusement park, largest shopping mall, highest building etc. etc.Not to be outdone by Dubai, Abu Dubai (pop. 1.8 million) has decided to build a $15 billion development, Masdar City - the greenist outpost on the planet. The new city is advertised as the first totally sustainable city–a car-free, zero-carbon, no waste development running on alternative energy. They are building it because as the CEO of the development, Sultan al Jaber says, "because we can, and because we should."
The United Arab Emirates is located at the entrance of the Persian Gulf to the south of Iran. The federation is formed from 7 Arab Sheikdoms that are city-states. The country is one of the wealthiest in the world and has been cited repeatedly for human rights abuses and discrimination.
What are your thoughts on the development in the Arab states?
The United Arab Emirates is located at the entrance of the Persian Gulf to the south of Iran. The federation is formed from 7 Arab Sheikdoms that are city-states. The country is one of the wealthiest in the world and has been cited repeatedly for human rights abuses and discrimination.What are your thoughts on the development in the Arab states?
- Is building a green city the best way to spend their money?
- What are your thoughts of building artificial islands in the Gulf?
- Should the US follow suit and build in our gulf?
- Is building a green city (built on oil money) in the middle of a desert the future?
- Should Houston be doing the same?
19 comments:
I don't think the United States should follow suit in creating islands in the Gulf of Mexico. With the increase in global warming which causes rise in sea level, the islands could easily be flooded or overtaken by the water. This could lead to lose of lives and lose of money. We are already having problems with hurricanes and land at lower sea levels so why would we invest more money into something that can easily be demolished by one hurricane.
I think it is great that the countries in the Middle East are trying to go green, but then again they have the money to do it. These programs are funded by the very thing that they are trying to get away from, oil. Even though it is a great idea that the U.S. begin to follow their lead, it is not feasible right now due to the high costs. With the economy the was that it is, the government is not going to put their efforts towards going green, they are going to try to get the economy back in order. This is unfortunate, but it is the truth.
-Chelsey Kasper GEOG 320
When it comes to using billions of dollars to build new and sustainable islands, I don't think this is a good idea for the United States. The United Arab Emirates obviously have this money to use and can afford to build the biggest and the best, but the United States is far from able to make such a large project. But even for the United Arab Emirates, building this area might not be a good idea. My question is why are they spending all the money building this new land, when they could spend the money developing the existing land into a green nation?
The whole idea of going green is a great idea, the only obstacle for the entire world is money. With the Middle East earning incredible amounts of money from oil they are very fortunate to take on such an expensive project. But if money were no obstacle, I think the world could benefit from the large steps to create a greener earth.
The Region in the Persian gulf is alot different than the conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. If Katrina could do all that it did in a matter of hours, then how could small Islands in the Gulf benefit us. If no one resides on the Islands then it could be a buffer for future hurricanes, but I couldnt see the US building something that wasn't going to benefit them financially. Going green definitely is a goal that should be achieved, but the economy needs the most help right now and people are putting conservation and going green on the back burner. Charlene Dew
Geog 320 Tues night
Could it be that with the economy as bad as it is that a sustainable economy is what is needed, instead of more of the same? It might be time for a change? invest in new economies, rather than outsource and patch up old economies that may be outdated? Time to lead rather than follow?
Have to say though, that, I agree, the goings on in UAE seems ironic and does not follow the triple bottom line of economics, environment and social issues.
Chris Mayda
1) I have no problem with them wanting to build the best of everything. The U.S. went through that phase to in the 80’s. It’s just another example of how the whole world would consume as much as we do if they could.
2) Let’s build artificial islands in the Gulf. We’ve already created huge “dead zones” there (pollution from Mississippi Delta) where bacteria can barely survive. May as well put an island in the middle of it, then surround the thing with a massive reef building and bog building effort. That will help protect the island and the southern coast from hurricanes, and may resuscitate the life in the area. If we build it right, the island(s) should be made hurricane tough through eco means.
3) A “green” city in the desert sounds silly. It should be called a “brown” city. Let’s make an eco city there, but one that agrees with the natural environment in place. Grass lawns in Las Vegas are ridiculous. Lawns there should be cacti and red rock. And there should be a population limit that falls in accord with fresh water availability.
4) I’m not ready to tell Houston they should be doing anything. They appear to be making more efforts towards alternate energy than any city in the U.S.. Let’s tell L.A., Detroit, and Pittsburgh to become green first.
They economy might seem bad, but it’s all about priorities. I heard on the radio yester day that the final cost of the Iraq will for the U.S. will be just over 1 TRILLION dollars. We pretty much could have finished any environmental endeavor we had wanted to (no matter the scale) for that.
Kyle Kurtzal, Geog 320
The fact that the largest oil producers are going green is great. This shows that they are more interested in the earth than lining their own pockets; or does it mean that they are running out of oil and need to diverify. Either way it is great that they are going green and I feel that everyone needs to follow the way or create new ways to create a more substainable earth.
I think Dubai has a good idea with building Masdar City. They are trying to find alternative green energy sources to ensure that we can continue on as a population. Dubai is one of the richest cities in the world, and with that they have tons of money to work with. Their "invention" of the islands is a phenomenal creation and mark upon history that shows their ingenuity, architecture, as well as their financial stability. If and when the time comes though when the oil runs dry I hope they have a plan in mind. As of right now at this time, Dubai has an almost endless supply of money with its large volume of petroleum exports. But, what are they doing and how are they saving their money for when the time comes and those exports are no longer there. If they are not careful with their money, their spending shows their arrogance (a 25 million dollar island), they will be nothing more than a dried up hole in the sand. Don't get me wrong I think that their islands are remarkable and creative, but do they need to keep pressing on and building more and more. I think they are beginning to realize this and that shows with their construction of Masdar. The city seems to be aimed at finding other ways to power our lives, it says right on their website, "a global cooperative platform for open engagement in the search for solutions to some of mankind's most pressing issues: energy security, climate change and truly sustainable human development". One last thing, there was a special on the history channel a few months ago about the islands of Dubai, and one interesting fact that was aired on the show is that with the purchase of an island, it comes with "naval protection" against the modern day pirates that they anticipate having a problem with. They said the island would be a bit vulnerable to looting. It was sort of a fun and interesting fact that the fear of pirates still lingers today.
I think the United Emirants have been greatly influenced by the United States from the Persian Gulf War. I was in the Navy at this time and Dubai reminded me of Ann Arbor, a small city with cultural influences. I think the people in this region needs to be more worried about their water supplies than building indoor ski areas.As more people come to this region to enjoy western influences they to will face ecological problems like the U.S.
That's a good point jevans. I think the big picture problem here is human nature. People will consume as much as their money will allow them to and they'll put off problems until they absolutly have to be dealt with. It's not just the U.S. or some rich arab nations... these universal problems concerning unsustainability, pollution, etc. always involve the people with the most money. Now that China is doing well, suprise, they're polluting and consuming more ever.
I do not see a problem with the projects that are going on overseas. Whether they are doing it for the right reasons or not does not matter either. Someone has to step up and do it. Fortunate or unfortunately they have the capital to invest in a project of this magnitude. As far as the US, I believe that duplicating the project in the Gulf might not be the best idea. Another blogger stated that the Gulf area might not be the most stable place to do so. If anything we should look at the project overseas and observe the pros and cons of such a project instead of just rushing off into something for the sake of keeping up with the Jones's. Wouldn't it be funny if the country that is one of the main sources of our problem (villain)leads the way to the solution (hero). Then maybe we will be purchasing our alternative energy from them also. The arid lands over there could be major sources of wind and solar power. Wouldn't that be Ironic.
I'm really not sure if the "green city" will be something that could be succesfully replicated all over the world, but there are certainly worse ways in which the rich Arab states could spend their fortunes, as I'm sure there could be better ways as well. It definately isn't the best idea for the U.S. to follow these states and spend the money on islands because the nations building these islands simply do not have the debt that the U.S. does. When you possess a fortune, then spend a fortune, but it shouldn't be spent when it doesn't exist like we've done so many other times.
As far as "green cities" being the future, nothing built on oil money could sustain the future because the future does not and cannot lie within a resource such as oil, which will not last forever.
The idea of going green is a wonderful for any nation, but it just doesn't seem like anyone can get it just right and do it for the right reasons. If the UAE cared much about their future they would go green and go smart and maybe not blow all their money obtained from something they wont be able to peddle to the rest of the world forever.
I have actually been fascinated with Dubai for a while. I first found out about the islands when I saw a documentary on the Travel Channel. There were 2 or 3 that aired. I found it amazing that the islands were created from all natural materials; rock and sand. I have read a few comments about Dubai's finances. From what I understand from the documentaries, Dubai was in some financial trouble. The government decided that Dubai needed to branch out and have another industry besides oil. So they went for tourism! I think that a green community that is completely sustainable is awesome. If nothing else, it will show us that it CAN be done.
As far as the United States doing the same, I think it would be a nice idea. I would be concerned about creating these islands in the Gulf. With global warming full speed ahead, the sea level will be rising there. Also, as the water temperature rises, the hurricanes are becoming stronger. I don't know that strategically that is the best place for man-made islands.
I would love to see the United States invest more money into becoming green. Unfortunately I just don't see it happening anytime soon. Sustainability is not a goal of our government. I also question where the money would come from to finance such a huge project. If it can be done though, I would love to see it happen!
I like the idea and concept that revolves around this building of a green city and islands. However, I do not feel that is the best spending of the money by just promoting their one area to conform to this type of living. It should be used towards more research and production of more energy and natural resource efficient materials. I do not believe the United States should even consider building anything in the Gulf because at this point there is no conceivable way to afford this. The American economy is too unstable and not being as productive as the Dubai economy. It's unfortunate that we pay this much for oil and suffer at the cost of it while the suppliers are over there making these emaculate creations and everything that they have good going on over there.
Artificial islands are absolutely devestating to the ecosystems. All of the ocean dredging and ocean floor pumping that is involved in making these artificial islands are devestating. It is an oxy-moron for Dubai to be creating a green city(which sounds good) but when you consider all of the elements that are involved in all of the other outrageous development going on their this green city is just one small area that they are using to try and clean up their image with environmentalists. Has anybody ever seen how they treat these workers from India and China doing all of this construction? Inhumane.
While building a "green city" seems like a good idea, if the money is there why not. But the truth is that building in a desert is a horrible idea in creating a sustainable community. By building in the desert they will be relying on no existing infrastructure. Using up plenty of natural resources to build far away and transport goods to the middle of the desert. This would essentially be defeating the purpose of a sustainable city. Although I do consider it a challenge when it comes to turning our existing cities into something sustainable...how that will happen it still seems complex.
As for Dubai...it is a very interesting place. Dubai almost seems like a surreal place in my head at time, its astonishing what they are doing. Just today while searching for jobs I found 15 urban planning jobs open to anyone who had a degree and was willing to relocate to Dubai. Now I am not sure how an average American person could afford to live there. The development there is huge, in more ways than one, and it is displaying very complex and interesting architecture and things many people thought we never possible. And I can be the first to admit the idea of the island formation in the ocean is very unique, but not at all feasible or simply a good idea. It is destroying the ocean in many ways, an engineering feat yes...a good idea for sustainability and environmental conscious practices not so much.
Stacey Van Order (online)
I personally don't have a problem with cities like Dubai creating islands and amazing buildings with their oil wealth. I believe that any nation that experiences extreme prosperity often undertake construction problems like these; like many things in life, this is how people exhibit their social economic status. For Americans to criticize this is really no different than buying the huge house, sports car, or becoming a jet setter.
The problem that I do have with this projects like those being conducted in the Middle East is calling it "green". While their buildings, transportation infrastructure, waste management, and other elements may be more environmentally friendly than other cities, what is the reason they are building them? Tourism! Success will only cause more people to visit the region, arriving by jet, staying in hotels with great amenities that use incredible amounts of energy, and generating enormous amounts of waste that will be difficult to properly dispose of. I would rather see cities like Detroit, Tokyo, Mumbai, or Mexico City taking the initiative to solve this crisis that we are in! Watch out for the real motive of calling themselves "green".
Matt Smith GEOG (Online)
Well, this is a hard one for me for many reasons.
1) I do not believe that anyone place should make them build a green city. I'm not saying that there is one specific area doing so, but I do believe that it should be up to them and what that area decides on.
2) I believe that it would be a great investment opportunity for the area. The abilities provided to Green areas is great. Better evironment, better health, more sustainable economy. This will be required someday in order to keep our planet running.
3) They make so much money off of crude oil its not even funny. This could be a positive or negative thing for this country to start investing in a Green city. There could be problems with such a dependent country on the economy of crude oil to change to renewable energy. What countries would want to purchase crude oil if they changed to renewable energy. That is kind of hypocriticle. On the other hand, there needs to be a change before their resources are not there at all anymore. The investment of renewable energy will help them in the long run.
Initially looking at the production of the islands and the unique trends that Dubai has embarked on is quite amazing. But, when you sit back and think of the money, the energy and the resources that were used, wasted, consumed in the process and continually, it becomes an eye sore. No, I don't believe that the building of a green city is the best way for them to spend their money. THey should be spending their money to make their already extravagant, over the top, resort for millionaires more green and eco-friendly. They don't need to produce more land, they have enough to work with. Make the best of what is already there. My feeling is that islands should not be created by man power. They should be there from the get go and utilized as necessary. Why do we need to produce new lands when we have land that is perfectly inhabitable and usable already available? So, no, I do not think that the United States should follow the UAE and begin forming man made islands in the Gulf of Mexico. We have enough land to maintain and sustain. We can't handle more area to screw up. Aren't there enough environmental problems to deal with? The United States needs to tackle the problems that we have now, not put more on our plate. Houston has plenty of other options for their oil money, and islands are not the answer.
(GEOG 320)Hey, good for the United Arab Emirates. They have excess money and very little current sustainible regions, so why not build a completly green city. I do not think that the united states should follow, because it really is not practical to build if we are not adressing our issues state side. I do think it will be a great oppertunity to see if a sustainible society can accually exist. It is really the perfect oppertunity to show the countries (including the U.S.) the advantages of complete sustainibility.
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