Day 7: January 8, 2014
Becoming more accustomed to our new jet set lifestyle, we landed in Curitiba. The climate here was much cooler than what we had previously experienced, and it was a welcomed change. Our cab driver from the airport to the hotel thought himself a nascar driver the way he navigated through traffic. Jessica swore he was going as fast as he could because he didn’t like us, however he was a very pleasant man and the communication between us was an adventure within itself. Following check in at the hotel, we went exploring the town in which our hotel was located, Santa Felicidade. The area was heavily influenced by Italian culture. The cobblestone streets in the town center were a form of sustainable planning, and had been placed there for the purpose of aiding in water peculation. I observed the emergence of glass bottle soda for the first time on the trip. The presentation on Curitiba presented us with many facts about the city. It recycles nearly 2/3 of all waste making it the highest rated city to do so in the world, and this new system did not cost more than the old one, which did not have the environment in mind. Air pollution is at its lowest rate here compared to any other city in Brazil. The next day we were to see the city center, considered by many to be the most sustainable city in the world.
Day 8: January 9, 2014
We embarked on a bus tour that would stop at various important landmarks within Curitiba. Two reasons why people choose to live in certain cities are dictated by the ability to do recreation and if they are close to their jobs and have a good school system. The parks are one of the key features important to urban life. I consisted of well organized pathways; one for walkers, runners, and bikers. A waterway assists with flooding, which each of the five interconnected parks within the city have. Capybaras feed on the vegetation and have replaced goats because they are less maintenance and do not require a Sheppard. On the way to catching the bus to the next location I tripped up on my feet and slammed into the ground. I had a deep abrasion to my elbow and was required to wear a huge bandage the rest of the trip. Another stop worth note was the Botanical Garden. The beautiful greenhouse like structure and surrounding maintained land was another natural feature within the city. A drainage system at the garden caught excess water from the irrigation system, a well-planned sustainable feature. Curitiba is a great model towards urban sustainability, however the trip was a bit underwhelming. We were unable to meet city officials to discuss the planning, which is of a great interest of mine as well as missing the chance to see Flower Street. It was cool seeing the giant red buses and elevated stations that receive passengers, but nothing spectacular. The integrated bus system has lanes for buses only, are color coordinated 500 times cheaper than a subway system and 70% of the population utilizes it. Curitiba was one of the shorter stays on the trip.
Becoming more accustomed to our new jet set lifestyle, we landed in Curitiba. The climate here was much cooler than what we had previously experienced, and it was a welcomed change. Our cab driver from the airport to the hotel thought himself a nascar driver the way he navigated through traffic. Jessica swore he was going as fast as he could because he didn’t like us, however he was a very pleasant man and the communication between us was an adventure within itself. Following check in at the hotel, we went exploring the town in which our hotel was located, Santa Felicidade. The area was heavily influenced by Italian culture. The cobblestone streets in the town center were a form of sustainable planning, and had been placed there for the purpose of aiding in water peculation. I observed the emergence of glass bottle soda for the first time on the trip. The presentation on Curitiba presented us with many facts about the city. It recycles nearly 2/3 of all waste making it the highest rated city to do so in the world, and this new system did not cost more than the old one, which did not have the environment in mind. Air pollution is at its lowest rate here compared to any other city in Brazil. The next day we were to see the city center, considered by many to be the most sustainable city in the world.
Day 8: January 9, 2014
We embarked on a bus tour that would stop at various important landmarks within Curitiba. Two reasons why people choose to live in certain cities are dictated by the ability to do recreation and if they are close to their jobs and have a good school system. The parks are one of the key features important to urban life. I consisted of well organized pathways; one for walkers, runners, and bikers. A waterway assists with flooding, which each of the five interconnected parks within the city have. Capybaras feed on the vegetation and have replaced goats because they are less maintenance and do not require a Sheppard. On the way to catching the bus to the next location I tripped up on my feet and slammed into the ground. I had a deep abrasion to my elbow and was required to wear a huge bandage the rest of the trip. Another stop worth note was the Botanical Garden. The beautiful greenhouse like structure and surrounding maintained land was another natural feature within the city. A drainage system at the garden caught excess water from the irrigation system, a well-planned sustainable feature. Curitiba is a great model towards urban sustainability, however the trip was a bit underwhelming. We were unable to meet city officials to discuss the planning, which is of a great interest of mine as well as missing the chance to see Flower Street. It was cool seeing the giant red buses and elevated stations that receive passengers, but nothing spectacular. The integrated bus system has lanes for buses only, are color coordinated 500 times cheaper than a subway system and 70% of the population utilizes it. Curitiba was one of the shorter stays on the trip.