Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 1.22
The Truman Show
, 1998, written by Andrew Niccol, directed by Peter Weir. Truman Burbank
has lived his entire life unaware that he is living in a constructed reality television show, broadcast
24 hours a day to millions of people across the globe. Truman lives in Seahaven, a complete
filmset (and home) built under a giant dome, including all of the show's actors and crew. The
executive film producer, Christof, can control every aspect of Truman's life, even the weather:
'We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented.'
Source
: British Film Institute Stills Collection.
fuel sources. France is 80 per cent nuclear and 12 per cent renewable or hydro, but the UK
has 40 per cent gas, 33 per cent coal, 19 per cent nuclear and only 5 per cent renewable or
hydro. There are additional environmental benefits in the city as there is less pollution of all
types of emissions at the point of use, so city air becomes cleaner (King, 2007; 2008). Electric
motorcycles are also becoming more popular, with over 50 million now in operation in China
(2012). But technology on its own will not resolve many of the environmental challenges
posed by transport in cities - and this is a point that does not seem to be understood by
governments and decision-makers - as there is also the problem of growth in demand that
overwhelms much of the technological innovation. This is evident in the Western industrialised
countries, but a much larger problem - and intractable as yet - in Asia and South America.
All countries and cities are becoming more dependent on motorised transport in all its forms,
but the car has become dominant, and this is not likely to change as rapid growth is taking
place as economies and prosperity are raised. Indeed, the level of motorisation is often
synonymous with development, and it appears difficult to develop pathways that would
substantially move away from this. However, transport must decarbonise and become more
sustainable, and breaking the projected growth in motorisation and distances travelled are a
critical element here.
