Student Opinion: Dubai’s Sustainable City Becomes A Utopian Image of A Society

Image: Diamond Developers

By Michelle Moreno Lira

Dubai recently announced that they will be creating a sustainable city powered by solar panels and utterly dependent on natural resources. This is part of their plan to make Dubai the top most sustainable city in the world by using science and technology to produce energy. 

The city extends 46 hectares around Dubai’s outskirts with 2,500 planted trees to prevent any air pollutants. This sustainable city relies on its 3,000 square meters of urban farming where residents can grow their own produce and take advantage of their community resources. 

This minimalist society seems like it’d be a part of a utopian film where communities live in peace and rely on the Earth to survive. While some societies remain this way, most of Earth is slowly decomposing due to global warming. Recently, scientists discovered that the Southern Ocean and Antarctic ice sheets are melting faster than anticipated.  

Our planet is quickly being destroyed by greenhouse emission gases, making our air pollution worse, and climate change an inevitability. Sustainable cities, like Dubai, are establishing a brighter hope for the future. 

Being the ‘greatest’ country in the world isn’t the priority, but being the most sustainable should be at the top of the agenda. Cities like these might seem out of the ordinary compared to some of our lifestyles. Yet, it’s efficient to protect the environment and follow a lifestyle that we are all encouraged to live in to give our planet a longer lifespan. 

It’s interesting to note that communities that live solely off the earth are considered uncivilized by many. In reality, these people have done their part in reducing global warming, yet communities like Native American tribes continue to have their land stolen. Under Trump’s administration, some Native American lands were transferred to companies to welcome new construction.

Nowadays, to live a sustainable life in these societies, such as their ancestors did, comes at a cost for them and the planet as their land is robbed to make way for projects that continue destroying our planet. It’s hard to believe that cities creating sustainable living communities are considered ‘news’ instead of regular living. This is because our world has become entirely dependent on machines that negatively affect the health of our planet. 

As a Californian, I envy the Sustainable City residents because I’ve been surrounded by busy streets and machine operated businesses my entire life. I’ve become completely dependent on technology when it comes to everyday tasks, including riding the bus, driving a car and admittedly contributing to companies that make up most of the waste in our oceans. 

Dubai has begun making changes to the way their city operates and is transitioning into a greener lifestyle. They start by creating aluminum through the power of the sun and go as far as to establish communities that use some of the Earth’s resources. The Earth provides us with sunlight, which is fueling our solar panels and making aluminum. 

Dubai is paving the way for other cities or countries to use science to live successfully while helping the environment. 

Communities depending on the land to survive are participating in protecting our environment. What other countries decide to do with their land does matter, and each continual misstep to environmental regression drastically increases global warming. 

If more communities dedicated to a sustainable lifestyle, it would make a more significant impact. Societies reliant on the land’s resources shouldn’t be considered ‘utopian’ or an idea of what a perfect world would look like. Our transition to environmentally friendly progressive transformations in all sectors of society is more than possible to achieve. It’s disappointing that we’ve begun to believe that societies should run on machines, and that’s the only way we’ll survive. 

Sustainable development should encourage us all to commit to little changes throughout our daily lives––modifications such as small reusable bags, reusable water bottles or environmentally conscious shopping. As our planet continues to be affected, we must do our part to reverse the effects we’ve caused. 

Michelle Moreno is a fourth-year majoring in English and minoring in Chicano Studies. She is from Downtown Los Angeles.


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38 Comments

  1. John Hobbs

    Total fantasy and propaganda. Dubai and most of the UAE is built upon and by slave labor. The tourists are fed with mostly imported food. They and the food are delivered by planes that burn fossil fuel. The city has a monorail that serves less than 10% of the area and has a highway system that serves many gas guzzling cars.

     

  2. Ron Oertel

    From article, above:  Under Trump’s administration, some Native American lands were transferred to companies to welcome new construction.

     
    What the (cited) article actually says:

    Steps for the controversial land transfer from the US government, which owns the land, to the miners were completed on Friday morning, when a final environmental assessment was published.

    Apache Stronghold also filed a lien on Oak Flat claiming that the land was owned by the Apache according to the 1852 treaty – under which Oak Flat was deemed a part of the Apache homeland – and the Forest Service did not have legal title to the property.

    Unbeknown to tribes and environmental groups who had long opposed mining Oak Flat, the land transfer was passed by Congress and signed by Barack Obama in December 2014 as a last-minute rider to a Department of Defense spending bill.

     

      1. Ron Oertel

        The title states that the “Native American” lands were transferred to a company, implying that this was the result of the Trump administration.

        The first claim is apparently not correct under our laws (but has been challenged, as noted in the referenced article), and the second claim is factually incorrect (though it appears to have been “sped up” by the Trump administration).

        The bigger issue (from my perspective) is that not all Native Americans are what I’d consider “environmentalists”.  Some are, some are not.

        There’s a massive transfer of federal land occurring in Alaska right now, which can end up in the hands of native “corporations”.  Absolutely “dwarfing” what’s referenced in this article. Can you guess what they will likely do with it?

        Some 50 years ago, the federal government owned about 99% of the land in Alaska. It’s down to around 50%, today.

        Sorry, but I don’t view any group as necessarily being on a mission from God (or “mother earth”).

        On another note, the lands referenced by the article posted were apparently “traded” for some other lands, by the Obama administration. That may, or may not have been a good trade. (An article in-and-of itself.)

        1. David Greenwald

          “The title states that the “Native American” lands were transferred to a company, implying that this was the result of the Trump administration.”

          It appears that they did.

          “Steps for the controversial land transfer from the US government, which owns the land, to the miners were completed on Friday morning, when a final environmental assessment was published. The government must soon transfer title to the land.”

          “The move comes after the administration sped up the environmental approval process for the transfer by a full year.”

          Can you imagine your outcry if the city of Davis did that???

        2. Ron Oertel

          Unbeknown to tribes and environmental groups who had long opposed mining Oak Flat, the land transfer was passed by Congress and signed by Barack Obama in December 2014 as a last-minute rider to a Department of Defense spending bill.

          Personally, I don’t care “who” did it, but it was clearly initiated by Congress and Obama. 

          The more important consideration is whether or not the trade was beneficial overall (and to whom, and for what purpose). And, whether or not there was a way to preserve “both”.

          One thing that I’ve noticed about younger people (and yes, this is a “stereotype” is that all things that Trump does are “bad”, and all things that someone like Obama does is “good”.)

        3. Ron Oertel

          Actually, that stereotype is not limited to younger people.

          Another stereotype is that all Native Americans are environmentally-minded, and will live off the land (like they did hundreds of years ago, if given a chance).

          In my opinion, Native American reservations are one of the biggest mistakes this country has ever made (in more than one way). Along with casinos, as a way to “make up” for it. And Native corporations, in Alaska.

        4. Ron Oertel

          Of course, the biggest mistake was the way that this country dealt with the Native Americans in the first place.

          But, why don’t they ever talk about giving them “Manhattan” back?  🙂

          We could also talk about history in South America (with nary a “white” person to be found), but that would get even more off-topic.

          1. David Greenwald

            Because giving Manhattan back would not be very practical, but compounding the problems of the past doesn’t seem like the best course of action.

        5. Ron Oertel

          Public lands will always take the brunt of what’s otherwise “not practical”. That’s the problem, and it ultimately becomes an environmental one as well.

          I believe problems can also be compounded by trying to “make up” for past injustices, and that this might be among the biggest mistakes that we’re now making.

        6. Alan Miller

          And ironically, this includes the placement of large solar and wind farms on environmentally-sensitive desert lands.

          My personal war, and one of the reasons I could not vote for Biden, nor for the 2nd time for Obama/Biden.  Biden admin will likely re-open the Obama gateway of subsidized mass solar farms, along with the corruption and environmental destruction that goes with it.  Trump was an unexpected blessing is stopping the destruction of the deserts and other remote lands for four years.  Now the fight to save the deserts begins anew.  Ironic, eh?

  3. Ron Oertel

    Don’t mean to make too much fun of this article, but this is part of the very first sentence:

     and utterly dependent on natural resources.

    But hey – it’s true!

    So is a dependency upon oil.

    1. David Greenwald

      Actual first paragraph: “Dubai recently announced that they will be creating a sustainable city powered by solar panels and utterly dependent on natural resources. This is part of their plan to make Dubai the top most sustainable city in the world by using science and technology to produce energy. ”

        1. Bill Marshall

          Why not?  Based on your learning and analysis, can you share your insights asto how solar panels are produced?

          I can see why one would not wish to discuss how sausages are made (particularly right before mealtime), but don’t think that has anything to do with solar panels…

          Please share… it would be on topic, and ‘innovative’…

        2. Ron Oertel

          You got me – I’m not an expert, but I know that they are not environmentally neutral (considering manufacture, transport, and recycling).

          I believe they also use rare earth materials.

          Have you seen “Planet of the Humans”, yet?

        3. Bill Marshall

           … but I know that they are not environmentally neutral (considering manufacture, transport, and recycling).

          Please share that knowledge… why are they not environmentally neutral?  Just curious…

        4. Ron Oertel

          Already told you that I’m not an expert, but Google is your friend.

          Here’s one article, which I haven’t read (or analyzed the source). Looks like they might be connected to the industry, so take it with a grain of salt. According to this, they are improving.

          And perhaps more importantly, are you claiming something different? Is there some reason you’re challenging my comment?

          https://kubyenergy.ca/blog/the-positive-and-negative-environmental-impacts-of-solar-panels

        5. Ron Oertel

          This article might be more applicable.  Try searching, “environmental problems associated with solar energy”, or wording to that effect.  (That type of search would also apply regarding any technology.)

          https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/environmental-impacts-solar-power#:~:text=The%20potential%20environmental%20impacts%20associated,solar%20thermal%20plants%20(CSP).

          Bottom line is that there is no such thing as a completely environmentally-friendly energy technology that I’m aware of.

          Hence, the overall message of “Planet of the Humans” – meaning that modern society itself will always create impact. Implying (and stating, as I recall) that overall population size is also a factor. This is implied by the title of that film, itself. It is also logic at its most essential level, on a finite planet shared with other life.

          Also, see my example below, regarding the banana I had today. (Of course, I don’t have to buy and eat them. But for sure, I’m going to continue to have a negative impact on the natural environment, as is anyone with access to read this.)

  4. Chris Griffith

    Don’t mean to make too much fun of this article

    You know I really do have to admire these students they put themselves out there with these articles and we criticize everything they write and sometimes we’re just downright brutal.

    Thank you very much for the nice articles ☺️

     

    1. Ron Oertel

      Darn it, your comment is kinder than mine.

      But part of learning, is learning to analyze.  Personally, I suspect that Hobbs’ comment is at least somewhat closer to the overall truth, in this case. However, I’m not familiar enough with the country to know.

      And maybe, don’t conclude that Trump is the only one who has engaged in controversial actions, as noted in my own comment. Especially if you post an article which might show otherwise.

        1. Ron Oertel

          Quite a bit of truth to that!

          And yet, some of them have actual points to make (that they may not have realized, when they were younger).

          But hey, we know what our society thinks of older people. God forbid if they’re also white males, perhaps.

        2. Ron Oertel

          Where are the “dames”, though?  (Older, or not?)  😉

          Is this proof-positive that women are, in fact, smarter than men? Or, just more productive and wiser?

        3. Bill Marshall

          … there are a lot of grouchy old guys on here.

          Ageist, sexist… and some are not ‘grouchy’, unless you lump that in with ‘early senility’…

  5. Chris Griffith

    Total fantasy and propaganda. Dubai and most of the UAE is built upon and by slave labor. The tourists are fed with mostly imported food. They and the food are delivered by planes that burn fossil fuel. The city has a monorail that serves less than 10% of the area and has a highway system that serves many gas guzzling cars.

    You say the tourists are fed with mostly imported food. Well roll up the windows of course they are as far as I know that whole country just made up with sand. As far as your food being delivered by airplane that uses fossil fuel? Yep I’m sure they do I don’t think I’ve any seen any solar powered airplanes yet doing the same thing maybe maybe they could just use the slaves to pack the food in on her backs 😁

    Pertaining to the monorail system only serving 10% of the area that kind of sounds like Governor moonbeams  train nowhere down in Central California.

    Just one man’s opinion 🤗

     

     

     

     

     

  6. Ron Oertel

    About a half-hour ago, I ate a “locally-grown” banana.  😉

    Burned some locally-produced natural oil, to get it earlier today.

    Then sat down to express my indignation/skepticism, regarding what Dubai is doing. On a computer made of plastic (and other materials I’d care not to think about).

  7. Chris Griffith

    But hey, we know what our society thinks of older people. God forbid if they’re also white males, perhaps.

    Don’t put me in that category I self identify as a gay female 🤗

     

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