Treescrappers
Written by Moriah Samchek
83 million, the estimated number by which the world population increases annually [1]. To
accommodate for the increasing population, urbanization is accelerating rapidly, leading to the
expansion of cities and the need for infrastructure to accommodate growing populations. To
develop cities, trees are cut down, plants and animals are destroyed or reallocated, and dirt is
covered by pavement to create busy roads. These are all significant disruptors to the earth's
natural water cycle. Trees and plants are responsible for absorbing water and releasing it into
the atmosphere by transpiration and evaporation. Additionally, roads and buildings made from
gravel and concrete prevent water from being absorbed into the ground which leads to runoff,
erosion, and decline in groundwater collection. Replacing the natural world with developments
also limits the absorption of carbon dioxide from the environment and filtering the air and
releasing clean oxygen.
Before we continue in our current ways I believe a significant structural redesign of our urban
areas is overdue. To begin with, we must preserve our natural ecosystems by prioritizing vertical
expansion over horizontal development. This helps mitigate some of the negative effects of
urbanization, allowing nature to thrive in homeostasis where lush forests and vibrant
ecosystems can grow and flourish uninterrupted. Additionally, we can look to nature for
inspiration to create sustainable infrastructure that acts as a similar replacement for what it
takes away from the environment. Where does the inspiration stem from? You guessed it...
Plants and trees.
As previously mentioned, plants and trees play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the
water cycle. They absorb water from the ground, prevent runoff and erosion, and through the act
of transpiration they release water into the atmosphere which is essential for cloud formation
and precipitation. Without trees fulfilling these functions, we are more susceptible to weather
pattern disruptions and lower groundwater recharge, resulting in decreased water retention
ultimately reducing our supply of drinking water [3]. But this could be combated by creating a
system in urban areas, so buildings and roads can replicate some of the functional properties of
trees.
If we focus on building our communities vertically, cities would have tall buildings in
concentrated areas to collect water from rainfall or low hanging clouds. The exterior would be
semi-permeable, where only water can pass through the walls to a channel or a phloem
equivalent that allows water to both be absorbed and released (“transpiration”). The
semipermeable membrane allows the water from rainfall to enter, and as it passes through the
exterior wall, all the harmful chemicals and pollutants are trapped within separate bodies and
stored to be properly disposed of. Finally, the inside wall of the phloem will be impervious to any
other substances, keeping the building dry while not allowing harmful substances to pass
through. Similarly, roads would have a built in technology that allows the water absorbed by
rainfall to be filtered prior to entering the groundwater. The filtration of this water will purify the
water cycle by removing chemicals and pollutants released from urban centers, fostering a
sustainable ecosystem that addresses the risks and challenges of urbanization while allowing it
to continue.
References:
[1] United Nations, “World population projected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050, and 11.2 billion in
2100,” United Nations, 2017.
https://www.un.org/en/desa/world-population-projected-reach-98-billion-2050-and-112-billion-2100
[2] P. Wood, D. Hannah, J. Sadler, B. Bond, F. Meinzer, and J. Brooks, “How Trees Infl uence
the Hydrological Cycle in Forest Ecosystems,” 2007. Accessed: Nov. 02, 2024. [Online].
Available: https://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/lter/pubs/pdf/pub4449.pdf
[3] F. Pearce, “Rivers in the Sky: How Deforestation Is Affecting Global Water Cycles,” Yale
E360, Jul. 24, 2018.
https://e360.yale.edu/features/how-deforestation-affecting-global-water-cycles-climate-change
