Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
COOL IDEAS FOR COMBATING RISING TIDES
Starting in 2009, BCDC has held regular design competitions to solicit innova-
tive ideas for how the Bay Area could adapt to climate change. In the first year,
over 100 designs and ideas arrived from all over the world. Winning ideas
ranged from changing the topography of the urban waterfront and shoreline
evolution through recovered wetlands, to grand-scale interventions using every-
thing from a flow-through ventilated levee across the bay to a buoyant mem-
brane under the Golden Gate. For competition results, go to
www.bcdc.ca.gov.
Climate change is not just a problem for planners, engineers, and sci-
entists to solve. The ultimate adaptation will have to come from ordinary
people deciding that they can and will change to help the quality of the
environment. No longer some futuristic specter, climate change will arrive
in the lifetimes of people we know and love.
“I'm strangely optimistic in the face of evidence,” says Noah Knowles.
“Of course we'll adapt; that's what we do. There'll be difficulties along the
way, and a lot of expenses, and we're going to have to make choices as to
what things we want to save and what things we don't.”
Goldbeck is also optimistic. “The Bay Area is full of really smart peo-
ple. It's a center for innovation and the environmental movement, so peo-
ple are going to embrace change, once they understand how climate
change will affect them, and want to do something about it.”
