Drowning in Concrete
By Olivia Kiley
Science and Tech Editor
According to new climate models, extreme rainfall events that typically only happen once every twenty years are projected to happen once every five years by the end of this century. These statistics may not seem like a lot, but in the past decade, damage caused by flooding has resulted in an annual 800 million dollars of insured losses. These increasingly detrimental weather conditions will only get worse if we do not address the severe issues humanity has created.
One of the main reasons flooding has become so harmful nowadays is the overwhelming amount of concrete in heavily populated areas. Rain is usually absorbed into the earth during storms; however, when buildings have no backyards and woodlands are replaced by parking garages or apartment buildings, the little amount of grass left cannot soak up the rain fast enough to make a difference.
The sheer amount of concrete is why many cities worldwide, like Shanghai and Berlin, have begun implementing “sponge cities.” These “cities” are large expanses of grasslands and forests equipped with marshes and wetlands to cope with the increase in flash flooding. Amidst the skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, one can find the natural and the artificial in peaceful cohabitation. Not only does this innovation offer a solution to the heavy rainfalls, but it also helps keep temperatures down during heat waves.
Last October, Montreal mayor Valérie Plante announced that the city planned to develop 30 new “sponge parks” to catch and absorb rainwater with the goal of preventing and reducing the effects of flash flooding. Unfortunately, this promise hasn’t been fulfilled yet. To date, the city has only added a measly seven parks, which hasn’t done much to solve the recent flooding that Montreal has been experiencing.
When will the government finally decide to do something to help our planet? It’s not like this issue isn’t pressing! All it takes is a little effort and urban planning to improve the lives of so many Montrealers significantly. And it’s not like these parks will be an eyesore; they’ll do nothing but add beauty and nature to an otherwise bland and uniform environment.