The Kids Can City Project

by Daniel Drilon
(Metro Manila, Philippines)

I decided to make an ideal city called Uberstin for my Kids Can school project. I wanted to design a city where there is no poverty, no pollution and no traffic.

These are the kinds of problems I want to solve so I came up with a few solutions and drawings which I converted to 3D using my favorite SimCity 4 game.

My model city is clean and efficient. There are less industrial areas, more parks and open spaces between buildings, and it is powered through sustainable energy.

Uberstin has great rail transport and is very friendly for pedestrians and bikers too!

Editors Reply:

Wow, Daniel. We like what you've done with SimCity software.

More importantly, we like your city plan. Of course it's easier said than done to have a city with no poverty.

People with lower skill levels, including the social skills necessary to find and keep a good job, have a tough time staying out of poverty.

We believe it's the work of the society as a whole, though, to make sure that everyone gets a good chance to stay out of poverty.

The form that the city takes can influence whether people are poor or not. A city that is attractive to businesses that employ people and pay good wages will be a better city overall.

You say that you would have "fewer industrial areas." That's certainly a good policy for the appearance of the city, although it's also true that industry can be quite attractive if it's motivated to do so.

Your city leaders should be working with heads of industry to make sure that the industry does not pollute and does not look full of outdoor junk. They also should work for a living wage from the industries they have, and always try for business retention.

You have another great idea when you talk about a city with no pollution. Providing your industry is clean, meaning it does not contribute to air pollution or water pollution, that is a great start.

If your industry is dirty, the U.S. experiment with the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act several decades ago is now showing its success. It's important for provincial or national governments to show leadership on stopping air and water pollution from a stationery location such as a factory.

Your other wish--no traffic--is a great idea, although across the planet, people seem to think having a personal automobile as soon as they can afford it would be a great idea.

Well, I do like driving my automobile sometimes, so I can't object to driving entirely.

But we can really try to minimize driving by making walking and biking convenient and safe. The problem with traffic is that in many parts of the world, the car seems to be given very high priority compared to bicycles and pedestrians.

It should be the other way around--the automobile is larger and more powerful, and it should be slowed down and restricted to certain places, don't you think?

Thanks so much for contributing to our site. Please look around on it, and encourage other students to do the same.

Join USEFUL COMMUNITY PLUS, which provides you monthly with short features or tips about timely topics for neighborhoods, towns and cities, community organizations, rural environments, and our international friends. Unsubscribe any time. Give it a try.