Concrete Jungle

Portland is not like any other big city.  Most big cities across the United States have become known as concrete jungles.  Concrete jungles are cities like Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and New York, which are highly populated and have a high density of buildings constructed of concrete or similar materials. These areas generally lack greenery and tend to destroy the natural life around it. 

Concrete jungles can have an impact on our Earth’s environment. In bigger cities pollution rates are skyrocketing like never before.  If we do not change this, the earth’s resources will run out.  One way to counter this affect is through urban naturalization.  Urban naturalization is restoring environmental integrity to urban landscapes with the use of plant species native to the region.  One great example of this is right in the heart of downtown Portland. The Park Blocks exhibit numerous plants and trees that are native to the area.  If you were to look at other big cities such as Los Angeles, you would find the exact opposite. Instead of native plants, the city adds more buildings and non native plants which are more damaging to the regional environment. Big cities across the map should highly consider following Portland’s lead.  By planting more native plates back into urban cities we can build a harmonious balance between urban population and mother nature.