• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.59-83
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• 2020

This paper examines the actions and the factors driving those actions to reduce energy consumption and enhance energy efficiency taken by United States cities. While not much empirical evidence is available on why governments pursue practical sustainability actions, we attempt to shed more light on this important topic by empirically identifying factors that contribute to concrete actions toward sustainability policies. We adopt political market theory as a basic theoretical framework with policy-making applied to city energy consumption. Using the 2010 ICMA (local government sustainability policies and program) data, this study expands the focus of analyses to evaluate the effect of the form of government on energy consumption and energy efficiency by using multiple regression analysis. The findings show that at the city level, the mayor-council form of government are negatively associated with governments' efforts to reduce energy consumption. However, cities with at-large elections and municipal ownership are more likely to adopt sustainability actions. We also find that a large-scale economy has significant effects on the effort to reduce city energy consumption and improve energy efficiency. This shows that environmental policies are directly connected to locally relevant affairs, including housing, energy use, green transportation, and water. Thus, local level administrators could take an executive role to protect the environment, encourage the development of alternative energy, and reduce the use of fossil fuel and coal energy. These efforts can lead to important environmental ramifications and relevant actions by municipal governments.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.34 no.3 s.116
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• pp.32-40
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• 2006

We investigated space establishment and land use of children's parks by studying movement of users in and out of the parks with a questionnaire survey, video and analysis, and then analyzed the characteristics of how the facilities and the space of the parte are used. The results are as follows. First, when considering the character of the facilities of children's parks, entertainment facilities should receive priority followed by those for relaxation and those for convenience. When considering the position of facilities in the parks, because activity spaces may have similar functions to multi-purpose paved spaces, common use of these two spaces should be considered. Entrances and lines of movement should be kept in mind. Second, when considering the surrounding land uses, in case a play facility at a large-sized complex or an elementary school is adjacent, the exercise facilities may be more important, followed by play and rest facilities. In case there is a broad path around the parte, the way in which movement occurs into the central axis should be considered so that the other side of the broad way is not included in the children's play space. Third, proper control of roads adjacent to the parse is needed to protect children from danger.