This document discusses sustainable cities and highlights examples from the Netherlands and Australia. It summarizes that cycling is a sustainable form of transportation that is widely adopted in the Netherlands. Dutch cities have built infrastructure like bike paths to encourage cycling. The document also notes that the city of Adelaide harvests and stores stormwater runoff in underground aquifers to reuse as recycled water for irrigation, industry and other purposes. The document concludes by emphasizing the importance of pursuing sustainable cities for future generations.

1. SUSTAINABLE
CITIES
Assignment 2 Learning & Communication – Online
Informational Rescource
By: Diane James
Tabitha Watson

2. CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Diane
 Diane
 Going Dutch – Cycling
in the Netherlands
 Sustainable Water
Solution in Adelaide
 Conclusion

3. INTRODUCTION
Sustainability, eco-friendly, climate change! So much
negative press abounds about the horrors we face without
humanity changing its attitude towards the environment.
We are mother’s and we are conscious of the state of the
world and what will inevitably be our family’s and future
generation’s inheritance if the world does not embrace
sustainability especially in our cities.
BUT
We are in no way experts on the issues!!!
We are keen to highlight some of the positive changes
being embraced and experimented with around the
world; turning our cities globally into (more) sustainable
cities.

10. GOING DUTCH – CYCLING IN THE NETHERLANDS
A 2009 report by the Dutch
Ministry for Transport and Water
(http://www.fietsberaad.nl/library/r
epository/bestanden/Cyclinginthe
Netherlands2009.pdf) asserts
that cycling is the cleanest most
sustainable, let alone the
healthiest and most relaxing
transportation method. It is quiet
and, by all accounts, cycling puts
the cyclist in a good mood in
preparation for the work/school
day.
Cycling has become so
successful and so widely
accepted in the Netherlands that
the Dutch now actively support
and promote cycling to other
countries around the world
because of its sustainability as
a method of transport.
I really wanted to
embed this YouTube
clip from the
Netherlands ‘Rush
hour in Utrecht’ but it’s
not working, sorry, the
link is below:
http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=n-
AbPav5E5M&playnext
=1&list=TL0qLRgzT2f
dQ

11. GOING DUTCH – CYCLING
IN THE NETHERLANDS
 The report goes on to further discuss the
evolution of cycling in Holland, claiming
the Dutch became advocates of cycling
originally not because of the positive
effects on the environment but rather the
Netherlands, in places, has an
environment and layout conducive to
cycling with cities and urban hubs built on
flat terrain creating ideal cycling
environments.
 However an article in the Guardian
Newspaper (UK) says the shift to cycling
in urban centers in the Netherlands
occurred in the 1970’s as backlash against
a ‘child-killing car centered policy’
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bik
e-blog/2011/oct/27/bike-blog-going-dutch-
lanes

12. GOING DUTCH – CYCLING IN THE
NETHERLANDS
Now other cities looking to promote sustainable methods of transport look to the
Netherlands and rightly so. The lessons learnt in the Netherlands are
applicable across the world, if cycling is to be promoted then governments
must have a strong cycling policy that is ‘pro-cycling’. Policy must also
include development and maintenance of good cycling infrastructure, paths,
roads and signs easy for cyclists to see etc.
As far as the sustainability of the economy there was fear that cyclists
would contribute little to the economy, especially within the retail sector
compared to someone driving a car. This has been found true per purchase
transaction but over time cyclists frequent retailers more often so the
difference in spending per transaction is accounted for.

13. GOING DUTCH – CYCLING IN THE NETHERLANDS
Cycling ticks many sustainability boxes, and more offering relaxation and
promotion of good health. Something to pursue in most cities (even hilly Sydney,
maybe not San Francisco). In Australia on weekends especially, many cyclists
can be seen out and about.
One downside in Australia is covering the distance between major cities.
Perhaps stronger public transport links could be developed to connect cyclists
from major city to city, there is no scope in the assignment to discuss how.

14. SUSTAINABLE WATER SOLUTION IN ADELAIDE
Predominantly Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, receives water
from the Murray River and Mt Lofty Ranges catchment
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2007/s1903154.htm. However, councils
within the city of Adelaide have created ways of obtaining water from other
sources to meet rising water demands within their council areas.
South Australia has what is termed a ‘Mediterranean Climate’ and historically has
seen very hot summers matched with very cold winters. Rain on average has
fallen in the winter months and occasionally during summer time

15. One such working example is the Water Proofing the West program put in place by the City
of Charles Sturt who developed and implemented a system of Aquifers that lie beneath
sections of the Old Port Road median, a road that runs from Adelaide city westward
towards Port Adelaide. The projects aim:
 ‘...Water Proofing the West – Stage One Project is creating the first stage of a region-
wide system that harvests, treats and stores stormwater and distributes recycled water
through western Adelaide sustaining a growing economy and enhancing our natural
environment.’(http://www.charlessturt.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Old_Port_Road_
Fact_Sheet.pdf)
SUSTAINABLE WATER SOLUTION IN
ADELAIDE

16. The City of Charles Sturt Council
identified a sustainable opportunity to
capture storm water run off which will
be stored in limestone aquifers under
the western plains
(http://www.charlessturt.sa.gov.au/pag
e.aspx?u=609) &
(http://www.waterforgood.sa.gov.au/w
p-content/uploads/2009/06/part-4-
managing-our-water-future.pdf ).
The water once harvested will be
classified as ‘recycled water’.
Currently recycled water is used for:
 Irrigation
 Industry
 Groundwater replenishment
 Non-drinking residential purposes (e.g.
garden irrigation, toilet flushing)
(http://www.waterforgood.sa.gov.au/wp
-content/uploads/2009/06/part-4-
managing-our-water-future.pdf )
SUSTAINABLE WATER SOLUTION IN ADELAIDE

17. CONCLUSION
Sustainable cities are the way of the future,
perhaps the distant future, but it is clear
there are aspects of sustainability that
many developed countries are exploring
and incorporating. The limit of this
assignment has only allowed us to touch
briefly on the topic of sustainable cities and
we have not been able to fully explore both
the positives and negatives involved in
each of the different topics discussed. Or
discuss how long we have before it is too
late to make a change to be 100%
sustainable across the world.
Our focus instead was on the highlighting
some positives, like the water policy in
Adelaide. And as we said in the beginning,
we are just two mums conscious of the
state of the world and anxious to provide
our children and generations to come, with
a future.