Using the Levels-of-Organization Concept to Establish Context and Consequence In Planning Depictions

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Using the Levels-of-Organization Concept to
Establish Context and Consequence In Planning
Depictions Ashwani Vasishth California State
University, Northridge ACSP 2007, Milwaukee, WI
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Descriptions Matter

• How we choose to make depictions of complex
  systems affects what we can see of context and
  consequence, and so affects outcomes
• Complex systems are best conceptualized as being
  arranged into nested levels of organization

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Elements of An Ecosystem Approach

• Processes
• Boundaries
• Scales
• Purpose
• Perspective

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Properties of An Ecosystem Approach

• Nested Assembly
• Scale-hierarchic Levels of Organization
• Rate-dependant Boundaries
• Purposive Descriptions
• Scale-dependent Structuring
• Functional Associations

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An ecosystem approach based on nested
scale-hierarchic process-function ecology
offers the most effective basis for making
robust descriptions under complexity
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Nested Systems
Bossel, H. 2001. Assessing Viability and
Sustainability A Systems-Based Approach for
Deriving Comprehensive Indicator Sets.
Conservation Ecology, 5(2) 12.
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Nested Structures
ONeill, Robert V. et al. 1986. A Hierarchical
Concept of Ecosystems. Princeton, NJ Princeton
University Press. p.131
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Nested Scale Hierarchy
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Levels of Organization
Allen, Timothy F.H. Thomas W.l Hoekstra. 1992.
Toward A Unified Ecology. New York Columbia
University Press. p. 30
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South Coast Goods MovementLevels of Organization
Supra-system
System of Concern
Sub-system
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In One Meaningful Sense, Globalization Is the
Externalization of Environmental Health Costs
By the Rich, Onto the Poor
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Toxic Pollution and Life Expectancy

• In a memo dated December 12, 1991, Lawrence H.
  Summers, then Chief Economist at the World Bank,
  is said to have suggested that toxic industries
  be relocated to nations with the lowest life
  expectancies and the lowest wages
• Weve done just that!

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Local Impacts of Globalization

• The globalization of production means a huge
  increase in international goods movement
• Diesel-powered ships, trucks and trains are what
  we use to move these goods
• Diesel exhaust is highly toxic

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The Hidden Costs of American Consumerism

• Communities residing and working around goods
  movement nodes and facilities pay a high price in
  health impacts too

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Ranking of US Container Ports
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Diesel Rail Engines Belch Smoke
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Truck Traffic On the I-710 Freeway
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Freeways Serving the San Pedro Port Complex
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Estimated Cancer Risk for the South Coast Air
BasinExcess Cases per Million Population
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Residential Land Uses
Industrial Land Uses
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Houses Abut the I-710 Freeway
Los Angeles River
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Proximity to Freeway A Factor In Pollution
Concentrations
Zhu, Yifang William C. Hinds Seongheon Kim
Si Shen Constantinos Sioutas. 2002. Study of
Ultrafine Particles Near A Major Highway With
Heavy-Duty Diesel Traffic, Atmospheric
Environment, 36 (2002) 43234335
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Recommended Buffer Zones for New Construction

• California Air Resources Board recommends a 300
  to 1,700 foot downwind buffer between freeways
  and human activity
• Sensitive Receptors should be sited at least
  500 feet away when downwind from freeways
• No recommendations for existing structures

CARB (California Air Resources Board). 2005.
Air Quality and Land Use Handbook A Community
Health Perspective. Sacramento, CA California
Air Resources Board.
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Conventional Depictions Are Confrontational

• Community groups and the Port Administration
  depict one another in oppositional roles, with
  State and Regional governmental agencies playing
  mediative roles
• Non-profit groups tend to align themselves in
  activist roles alongside communities and against
  the Ports

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Consequences of Confrontational Depictions

• Given the oppositional characterization of roles,
  the debate is primarily limited to issues of
  physical growth in port activity
• Community groups seek to limit growth, Port
  authorities seek to expand growth, and that sets
  the modalities for the discourse

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Depiction as Nested Levels of Organization

• Allows all relevant processes and functions to be
  kept in play, with associations and relationships
  shown in their actual configurations and
  strengths
• Allows effects to be traced across levels of
  organization, with adjustments for benefits and
  disbenefits at different levels to be affected
  more directly

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South Coast Goods MovementLevels of Organization
Supra-system
System of Concern
Sub-system
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Benefits and Disbenefits

• Benefits are clustered primarily at the
  sub-system and supra-system levels of
  organization
• Disbenefits are concentrated primarily at the
  system level of organization

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South Coast Goods MovementLevels of Organization
Supra-system
System of Concern
Sub-system
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Redistribution of Benefits

• Some small portion of the benefits accruing to
  the manufacturing, shipping, logistics and
  consumer markets should be redirected to
  remediate the adverse impacts at the neighborhood
  level of organization

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Integrative Ecosystem Approach

• Identification of properties most at risk
• Design of buffer zones, using urban forestry and
  landscape elements
• Redesign of neighborhoods using transit-oriented
  smart growth sorts of urban design strategies, to
  accommodate potentially displaced families within
  their current neighborhoods, where possible
• Accelerated turnover of truck and rail fleets
  toward low-sulfur diesel and alternative fuels

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Ashwani Vasishth

• Department of Urban Studies and Planning
• California State University, Northridge
• vasishth_at_csun.edu
• [phone]
• http//www.csun.edu/vasishth