Earth Charter Chicago

What are Greenbelts and What are They Good For?

The concept of “green belt” refers to all areas of physical terrain, the suspension or near urban areas designed for an open space, in the light of recreation or development. And, yes, physics Greenbelts coast along areas of Asia, including mangroves in the region, served as a buffer and has helped to prevent more loss of life from the tsunami in December 2004.

The importance of Greenbelts in Urban Areas
Greenbelts in and around urban areas are probably not all lives, but they are still important for the ecological health of the region. The different plants and trees used in Greenbelt organic sponges for various forms of environmental pollution, and as a storage of carbon dioxide to offset global warming.

“Trees are an important part of the infrastructure of the city,” said Gary Moll of American Forests. Because of the many benefits that trees in cities, Moll happy as the “ultimate urban multi-taskers.”

Urban Greenbelts links to nature
Greenbelts are also important, urban feel to nature. Dr. SC Sharma of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research of India is of the opinion that all cities should “means those sectors for the development of Greenbelts [to] bring life and color to the concrete jungle , and [has] a safe environment for the urbanites. ”

Greenbelts contribute to the spread of the
Greenbelts, is also important in efforts to limit urban sprawl, the tendency for cities to disseminate and access to rural areas and habitats of wild animals. Three states of the United States Oregon, Tennessee, Washington and its biggest cities to the “limits of urban growth” to limit urban sprawl by creating the Greenbelts. In the meantime, the cities of Minneapolis, Virginia Beach, Miami and Anchorage have urban growth boundaries on their own. In California, the Bay Area, non-profit Greenbelt Alliance has successfully lobbying for the creation of 21 urban growth in four border districts around the city of San Francisco.

Greenbelts for the world
The concept also in Canada, with the cities of Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver adoption of mandates for the creation of Greenbelts the fight against urban sprawl. Urban Greenbelts are also found in and around major cities in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Greenbelts are Essential for peace in the world?
The concept of green belt is also in rural areas, for example in East Africa. Women in information and environmental activist Wangari Maathai, Green Belt Movement in Kenya in 1977 as the basis of the program of tree planting to meet the challenges of deforestation, erosion soils and water shortages in their country of origin. Until now, his organization still planting 40 million trees in Africa.

In 2004, Maathai was the first environmental protection with the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. Why peace? “It can not be peace without equitable development and there can be no development without sustainable management of the environment in a democratic and peaceful space research,” Maathai said in his Nobel speech.