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November 30, 2005
Habitat Jam: a new way to talk about cities?
Listening to the most recent Smart City I was intrigued to hear about the Habitat Jam project.
It's a worldwide online conversation (a chat room on steroids?) comprised of six forums, including one titled "Humanity, the Future of our Cities". There's also a forum on Environmental Sustainability. The Forums run December 1st-3rd. I think it will start late in the evening Thursday, Pacific Time.
While there is not a specific forum on transportation, I can't imagine that the "Future of Cities" and "Sustainability" forums can ignore transportation. I intend to check it out, if only to see how the Internet is used in this way. They expect thousands of participants.
Posted by Chris Smith at 1:41 PM
Comments
December 8, 2005 5:45 PM
ron swaren Says:
Last week the UN Human Settlements Program held the online HabitatJAM for three days. Probably around 30,000 to 50,000 people logged in for all kinds of discussions on the future of urban regions. The third biennial World Urban Forum is coming to Vancouver, BC next June. There will be a summation published next month that will provide the basis for discussions at the WUF3.
Using my construction background, I am studying ways that modern urban development can be pursued in developing nations, but on a cost level friendly to people whose annual incomes are way, way below ours. In the interests of preventing wastage of energy resources, air pollution, traffic fatalities, etc. I believe it is imperative that these development objectives be oriented around bicycling and organized transit. Even though many countries have a tradition of bicycling, there will be a temptation, as they industrialize, to make greater use of automobiles.
In conjunction with some other agencies I am planning to rent a booth in the Exhibit area at the WUF3. Perhaps some folks from Portland would be interested in joining? Perhaps BTA? For further info on the Urban Forum:
http://www.wuf3-fum3.ca/en/home.shtml
rswaren2002@yahoo.com
