Ways to conserve energy are absolutely the responsibility of each individual, however the changing structure of the city and how corporations can use technology to make their contribution to the effort, becomes a question of money and will. Based on some very negative assessments about where we as a planet could be headed, tosses an interesting curve ball into the "money" debate. The blunt opening paragraph of a news article on Yahoo.com dated October 24, 2006, by Ben Blanchard, outlining a quote by the WWF Conservation Group; "Humans are stripping nature at an unprecedented rate and will need two planets' worth of natural resources every year by 2050 on current trends", essentially begs us to take notice. It doesn't take a genius to understand that finding ways to help the environment from the global perspective, involves completing step 1, 'admit we have a problem'.



Information from the article entitled Cities of the Future in Emagazine.com, points out that during most of human history people have lived in rural areas making a living from the land. The article goes on to explain that In 5 A.D. the population of the world was approximately 170 Million. At that time in history, Rome was an exception to the rule of rural living with over 1 million people in the the city. It would be 17 centuries before another urban area would have a population that size. Still, in the 1800's only 3% of the world's population lived in Urban areas. In this "modern era" the first large city was Beijing, then New York and London.

According to People and The Planet, they estimate that 3.2 billion people will be living in urban centers by 2007. Between now and 2030 it is believed that developing nations will likely absorb almost all global population increases. Estimations of urban growth being 1.8% from 2000 to 2030, mean that while city populations could double, rural areas will scarcely grow.

Outlined in the article Cities of the Future is a statement by Werner Fornos, president of the Washington-based Population Institute saying that "by 2050, an estimated two-thirds of the world's population will live in urban areas, imposing even more pressure on the space infrastructure and resources of cities leading to social disintegration and horrific urban poverty". Even if this statement is only 50% correct it is cause for concern. Although, urbanization has not always grown as studies have projected, the steady drum of how to reduce emissions and conserve energy, must keep beating. If by 2015, as originally estimated that 27 of the worlds 33 mega cities are in the developing world, there will be a drain by these cities on the world's decreasing resources and a degrading environment.

Traffic congestion and emissions are real and immediate concerns. The population trend forecast make the potential traffic nightmare fuel for a horror novel. Solving infrastructure problems is critical, and some urban centers have already started. As an example, many cities are making efforts to construct passenger lanes to encourage car pooling. Employers are increasing their use of Teleworking Tools, such as Remote Access and mobile wireless technology.

Advances in mobile wireless technology bring about new questions such as the health impact of our increased use of radio frequencies, waves and microwaves. Environmental studies completed in this arena are largely unclear. The true impact of this technology may not be known for decades. However, real environmental solutions are needed starting "yesterday". The growth of urban areas and resolving congestion and pollution become interconnected with the wireless world.

According to the EIA (Energy Information Administration) Official Energy Statistics from the US government, 2005 motor gas prices were up 40% (in constant dollars) since 1990. They also stipulate that residential natural gas prices are up 60% for the same time period. As more employers lean towards providing Teleworking options for their employees, the implementation of Telecommuting and Satellite Offices designed with energy conservation strategies is a real part of the working future. Remote computer access takes on a whole new meaning when factored into a corporate conservation strategy. We are witnessing the new marriage of technology convenience tools with environmental solutions. Conserving energy to help our environment is a shift in consciousness that will have to include, how we build our cities, our companies and our homes.