Sample Essay Consuming the City the European Experience

Consuming the City: the European experience

Introduction

            The concept of global interdependence and the ‘urban sprawl’ led to dramatic changes in social sciences, social theories and social interplay amongst political, economic, social and cultural constructs.

 

Urbanization extrinsically defines the modern youth culture, woman, technology, street life and consumption in a contemporary material world.

           

The rise of cities, the changing degrees of consumption and the way people consume spaces dictate our political life and governance as well as economic restructuring.

 

In lieu, the traditional treatment for consumption refers to free-buying in competitive markets. According to, the problem, however, lies on people’s ability to buy. Since income varies, then the distribution varies also. They also recognized that more than using goods and services for public utilities, consumption is social and should be organized, understood and treated as such (Ch. 3, n.d.).

 

Mark Jayne relates that such changes impliedly command the people regarding

 

“where and how we spend our leisure time; where and what to eat; where we go on holiday; where and when we do our shopping; what we wear; how we decorate our homes and so on (p. 1, Cities and Consumption).”

 

Moreover, the emergence of new spaces and places vaguely characterize cities as skyscrapers, flagship buildings, waterfront developments, tourists, ethnic and cultural quarters and affluent suburbs while widening the gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’.

 

As Boone and Modarres put it, urbanization creates mass consumption. This means that as countries are demographically transitioning, consumption increases which has a direct effect on economic growth (2006, p. 45).  Since changes are concentrated within the cities, mediated by and for the cities as well as its dwellers, then urban changes and consumption are correlation.  

 

As such, modern societies have been founded on urban culture since the daily urban life had experienced global reformation of economic, political and cultural processes (Jayne, 2006, p. 57). Europe in particular, had several metropolises with millions of inhabitants (Rewers, 2006, n.p.). More than the usual marketplace consumption as food, clothing and footwear, health, communication, entertainment and heat and energy, city dwellers are also consuming the city’s space, water and air, energy and natural resources.

            European cities have relative long-term urban system stability and are still structured and organized within the European states in general (Le Galès, Governance of medium size cities, n.p.).

 

As distinctive characteristics of European societies, the cities’ original structure retains its physical form such as the resources, identities and political legitimacies. The city governance employs new cycle for the nation state and new forms of state control.

 

In particular, European cities are regarded as the centre of economic activities where production forms and workers are concentrated. Cities provide access to large markets and to suppliers, facilitate knowledge sharing wherein exchange of ideas and innovation takes place and offers large and concentrated Labour markets (HM Treasury, 2006, p. 7).  

 

In Central and Eastern European (CEE) cities and Western European cities, the general spatial characteristic is “a dominant homocentric structure with a center of rich cultural amenities and prestigious retail reinforcing its homocentric characteristics” (Bertaud, 2004, p. 2).

                                                                                                                 

Berated added that lands are used up to respond to the growing housing needs and commercial demands with usually high rents. Within the city, there are high-density panel housing, expansion of offices and retail spaces at the centre (2004, p. 2). However, these residential and commercial buildings are built at the behest of those who cannot afford a decent house and whom is forced to live under the predicaments set by the regulations and policies throughout the urban area.  Hence, cities are consumed as homes and workplaces (HM Treasury, 2006, p. 15).

 

Further, water pricing system in Europe is relatively high due to privatization of the water industry. Since water had become an expensive commodity, a significant number of disconnections carnage the European cities. In fact, in United Kingdom, domestic disconnections rose from 8, 000 to over 21, 000 in the early 1990s. Water meters have been introduced; and those with lower incomes use less water to compensate their consumption (UNEP). In addition, 18% of the total water consumption in Europe is credited for urban use as water usage varies directly on water demands of urban settlers.

 

            Other challenges for European cities include public water supply and urban air quality. According to Harrison (2005, n.p.) the most prominent pollutants in the urban atmosphere are nitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone. On the other hand, water is unevenly distributed since they rely heavily on groundwater (UNEP).  Decision-making purports the way authorities deals with such challenges as pollution is gradually consuming the city as well as the health of the city dwellers.

 

            In contrast, the benefits of proximity also consume the city while the transportation costs are reduced. Cities bring consumption benefits to the people as the operations of economic markets are increasingly becoming stable (HM Treasury, 2006, pp. 8-9). Though functional typology largely depends on the urban hierarchy (small-, medium- or large-sized cities), English urban systems are consumed of department stores/shopping areas, movie houses and theaters industries, heritage and tourism, universities and gateways. Hence, cities are steady economic contributors in England with respect to their incomes. As long as a household can support and shoulder the expenses, their needs are satisfied.

Conclusion

             Human congestion changes the perception of consumption as well as consumption patterns and trends more specially in urban areas. Excessive urban settlements are to be held liable for the increased number in legislations and policies because as the population grows the more there is a need for control and administration. In addition, as the population increases, there will be a growing demand for housing, health, water and clean air.

 

Also, occupying a place from another, perhaps because of work and/or rental-burdens, also increases the demand for transportation which in relation increases the need for space as parking, the need for wider roads and the need for gas/fuels. This situation produces air and noise pollution and scarcity of lands which eventually requires for supplemental policies and regulations.

           

The high-density concentricity model of European cities will proved to be effective if the high levels of public transports are to be maintained and jobs are to be placed at the core of the city centres. Less pollution and concentration will be lessened in the process. Individual may also tend to consume less space and water as well as putting less pressure on the government and the EU. Thus, the public and common good would not be abused rather people will consume the city’s resources appropriately and accordingly.

            Aside from this, cities are consumed for the purpose of production, enterprises, educational and economic proximities. Cities serve as the home of endless jobs and skills which the workplace requires. Enterprises provide places for pleasures and cities are also consumed by academia. The Labour and retail markets and other travel-to-work areas are also present within the cities.