City ideas that inspired Sustainia: Edmonton’s urban forest management. This city has a 10-year plan (2006-2016) which will ensure preservation and management of trees within the city limits. The urban forest cleans the air, reduces the urban heat island effect, increases bio-diversity, and improves the livability of the city. City calculations show a net benefit per tree of $64.44 per year49.
Photo credits: Edmonton: Photo by markyeg, Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons. Curitiba: Photo by ##Erika**, Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons. Seoul: Photo: INDEX: Design to Improve Life. Freiburg: Photo: Solar-Fabrik AG. 49 The City of Edmonton. May 2012. Urban Forest Management Plan. 50 http://www.curitiba.pr.gov.br/ 51 http://www.designtoimprovelife. dk/index.php?option=com_ content&view=article&id=632 52 The City of Freiburg. 2011. Green City Freiburg: Approaches to Sustainability.
*Curitiba’s bus rapid transit (BRT). Through its low-cost, ground-level solution, with dedicated lanes for buses and intelligent traffic lights, the City of Curitiba has made public transportation so appealing that some 70 percent of daily commuters choose this solution for transportation. The result: 30 percent less fuel consumption per capita than the rest of Brazil50.
62