Megacities, Horsepower, The five R's, New York

megacities

Of the fifteen megacities in this world, eleven are in poorer countries. By 2025, probably 60 per cent of people will live in megacities. They will go there because they hope for a job and a place to live. However, many of them will end up in slums and without a job. A serious problem for these cities is transport. Pollution and traffic chaos will make these cities a difficult place to live in. So many large cities have tried to build up a good system of public transport. Or they have stopped cars from going into the city centre. One way to stop traffic chaos is the use of the bike. With more bike lanes and pedestrian areas, maybe our cities will survive.

Horsepower

Tim Brown’s experiment shows that a lot of money can be saved by using alternative energy.

His greenhouses, the riding centre and the farm are heated by horse power. How is this done? The manure is put on a system of plastic water pipes. The rest is done by tiny microorganisms. Heat is produced in a chemical process. The water in the pipes is warmed by this heat. More than 250 tons of manure is produced by Tim’s horses every year. This means Tim’s heating costs are reduced by 80 per cent.

The five R’s

Refuse: Don’t buy stuff in large boxes. Reduce: Don’t buy too much stuff in the first place. Reus: Buy drinks in bottles that can be reused. Repair: Don’t throw things away. See if you can repair them. Recycle: Collect bottles, cans, paper and clothes for recycling.

New York

Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island are the five districts. Manhattan, which is an island, is the real centre of the city. Most of the interesting shops are there, such as the famous ones on Fifth Avenue . Most of the well-known buildings and museums are there, and Manhattan is also the centre of New York’s busy nightlife. Wall Street in Manhattan is the financial heart of the USA and the most important banking center in the world. The most spectacular skyscrapers in New York were the two towers of the WorldTradeCenter. On September 11, 2001 they were destroyed by a terrorist attack. Central Park is a beautiful green oasis in the middle of Manhattan. Families come there to enjoy the sun and the fresh air. Musicians make music and office workers bring their lunches here in fine weather. The Statue of Liberty, which is about hundred meters tall, is a woman that is holding a torch. Visitors can get into the statue. France gave them the statue as a

present for their 100th birthday.