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Understanding Urban Economic Sectors Study Guide

This guide explains the concept of environmental modification, detailing how human activities like mining and urbanization reshape landscapes. It covers the drivers of these changes, methods for quantifying their impact, the disruption of ecosystem services, and the importance of sustainable practices in geography and urban planning.

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Urban Economic Functions

Basic vs Non-Basic Sectors

Distinguishing between export-oriented activities that bring money into a city and local services that circulate money within it.

  • basic sector
  • non-basic sector
  • export-oriented activities
  • local services
  • urban economy

The Multiplier Effect

Understanding how growth in the basic sector triggers secondary employment and population growth in the non-basic sector.

  • Multiplier effect
  • Economic growth
  • Employment

Economic Drivers of Urban Growth

Analyzing how the balance between basic (export-oriented) and non-basic (local-oriented) sectors influences a city's employment rates, economic development, and overall growth potential.

  • Basic sector
  • Non-basic sector
  • Urban economy
  • Economic growth
  • Employment rates
  • Multiplier effect

Case Studies in Urban Economic Growth

Examining real-world examples to understand how the interplay of basic and non-basic sectors drives economic development and employment in cities.

  • Urban economic development
  • Basic industries
  • Non-basic industries
  • Case studies
  • Economic impact

Human-Environment Relationships

Defining Environment

Understanding the distinction between natural environments (forests, lakes) and built environments (roads, cities).

  • natural environments
  • built environments
  • forests
  • lakes
  • roads
  • cities

The Two-Way Street Approach

Analyzing how the environment influences human behavior and how humans, in turn, modify their environment.

  • Human impact on environment
  • Environmental influence on humans
  • Landscape alteration
  • Feedback loops

Space vs. Place

Distinguishing between physical areas (space) and locations imbued with human meaning and significance (place).

  • Space
  • Place
  • Human Meaning
  • Location Significance

Defining Nature

Examining the three meanings of nature: essential quality, inherent force, and the material world.

Foundations of Geography

Defining Geography

Understanding geography as the study of evolving relationships between physical and human systems across space and time.

Physical vs Human Geography

Distinguishing between the study of natural systems (landforms, climate) and human activities (societies, culture).

  • Physical geography
  • Human geography
  • Earth systems
  • Natural processes

The Concept of Location

Exploring the three forms of location: absolute (coordinates), relative (relation to other features), and nominal (names).

  • Absolute Location
  • Relative Location
  • Nominal Location
  • Coordinates
  • Place Names

Location vs Place

Understanding how a specific coordinate (location) transforms into a 'place' through human meaning and significance.

Environmental Justice

Distributive Justice

Studying how environmental benefits (clean air, parks) and burdens (pollution, hazards) are shared across communities.

  • environmental benefits
  • environmental burdens
  • pollution
  • hazards
  • community sharing

Procedural Justice

Examining political representation and the inclusion of affected communities in environmental decision-making.

  • Procedural justice
  • Political representation
  • Community involvement

Environmental Elitism and Greenwashing

Critiquing agendas that reflect privileged interests or organizations that mislead the public about their environmental impact.

Environmental Racism

Understanding the systemic practice of locating hazardous facilities near racialized and Indigenous communities.

Historical Roots of Injustice

Analyzing how policies like Redlining and the Indian Act create lasting environmental inequalities.

Case Studies: Warren County & Love Canal

Comparing historical protests and the varying levels of political/public response to environmental threats.

Human-Environment Interaction

Modes of Interaction

Learning how humans depend on, modify, and respond to their natural surroundings.

  • Environmental Modification
  • Human activities
  • Natural landscapes
  • Ecosystems

Environmental Modification

Examining how activities like mining and urban development change natural landscapes and processes.

  • Mining
  • Urbanization
  • Landscape alteration
  • Hydrological cycle
  • Lithosphere
  • Ecosystem services

Environmental Adaptation

Studying how humans adjust their activities to survive or thrive within specific environmental conditions.

  • Human adaptation
  • Environmental conditions
  • Sustainable practices
  • Resource management

Industrial Landscapes

Central Place Theory

Range of Goods and Services

Understanding the maximum distance consumers are willing to travel for specific products based on necessity and price.

  • Range of goods
  • Consumer behavior
  • Market area

Spatial Optimization

How hexagonal patterns ensure efficient service distribution without overlap or unserved gaps.

Urban Hierarchy Systems

Urban Hierarchy and Complexity

Ranking cities based on size and the diversity of their functional services (e.g., financial, cultural, government).

  • urban hierarchy
  • city size
  • functional services
  • financial services
  • cultural services
  • government services

The Rank-Size Rule

Mastering the mathematical relationship where a city's population is inversely proportional to its rank.

  • Rank-size rule
  • Urban population distribution
  • City size

Economic Value Systems

Extractive Economies

Analyzing models that treat nature as a collection of commodities to be taken, owned, and sold.

  • resource extraction
  • commodities
  • mining
  • land use

Gift Exchange Economies

Exploring systems based on relationships, sharing, gratitude, and reciprocity.

  • Gift economy
  • Reciprocity
  • Social relationships

Linear vs. Circular Economies in Urban Contexts

Comparing the 'extract-produce-discard' model of linear economies with the 'produce-use-repair/reuse' model of circular economies, and their relevance to urban economic sustainability.

  • Linear economy
  • Circular economy
  • Urban economics
  • Sustainability
  • Resource management

Indigenous Environmental Justice

Understanding kin-based relationships and diverse Indigenous worldviews regarding land and water.

Urban Land Use Models

Bid Rent Theory

Explaining how land value and demand change based on proximity to the Central Business District (CBD).

  • bid rent theory
  • land value
  • demand
  • Central Business District (CBD)

Concentric Zone Model

  • Concentric zone model
  • Urban growth
  • Land use patterns

Multiple Nuclei Model

Exploring modern urban complexity where multiple centers of activity exist rather than a single CBD.

Urban Zoning and Density

Identifying the characteristics of CBDs, industrial zones, and varying residential densities.

Social Context and Wellbeing

Social Capital and Community Science

Learning how social connections and collaborative research increase environmental stewardship and capacity.

  • social connections
  • collaborative research
  • environmental stewardship
  • community capacity

Therapeutic Landscapes

Understanding how physical environments, social conditions, and human perceptions combine to support healing.

  • Therapeutic landscapes
  • Healing environments
  • Wellbeing

Just Sustainabilities

Integrating equity and quality of life for all into long-term ecological sustainability goals.

Market-Based Solutions

Green Taxes and Economic Incentives

How increasing the cost of harmful activities can discourage pollution.

  • green taxes
  • economic incentives
  • pollution
  • harmful activities

Greenwashing vs. Genuine Action

Distinguishing between misleading corporate claims and real environmental responsibility.

Ecotourism Impacts

Analyzing the dual nature of responsible travel and its potential for local community disruption.

Spatial Inequality

Spatialization of Inequality

How pollution and hazardous facilities are geographically concentrated in specific areas.

  • pollution
  • hazardous facilities
  • geographical concentration
  • environmental impact

NIMBYism vs. Environmental Blackmail

Comparing local opposition to facilities with the use of jobs to silence community concerns.

Just Sustainabilities

Equity in Environmental Improvement

Ensuring that actions taken to enhance environmental quality do not create new social injustices.

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