Can Cities and Nature Truly Coexist?   

• Introduction>> Cities are noisy and crowded, while nature is peaceful and quiet. Some city planners believe we can blend the two through green roofs, clean rivers, and urban parks. Others aren’t so sure. Can the fast pace of city life truly make room for the calm beauty of nature? Constructive Debater 1 Loren Green ideas are already showing success. In Italy, the Bosco Verticale is a vegetation-covered skyscraper, with trees and shrubs that cool the air and provide homes for birds and insects. New York’s High Line, once a train track, is now a sky garden where butterflies rest. In Spain, the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz added mini forests and bike paths, making summers feel cooler and wildlife more visible. Blending buildings with greenery helps reduce heat, traps airborne pollutants, and brings nature closer to people without needing to travel far into the countryside to enjoy it. Constructive Debater 2 Olivia These projects are interesting, but green spaces in cities are small and can’t match the impact of real forests. Urban areas continue to spread rapidly, paving fields where animals live. Bright lights confuse birds, and busy roads are dangerous for wildlife. Rooftop gardens can’t replace large, connected habitats that animals need to thrive. Many “green” buildings are also expensive, so most families don’t benefit. True coexistence requires stronger limits on urban sprawl and bigger protected wild areas ? not just a few trees or plants added to luxury buildings in crowded downtowns. Rebuttal Debater 1 Loren With nearly two-thirds of the population projected to live in cities by 2050, we must focus on making cities more nature-friendly. Adding pocket parks, ponds, and bee hotels will help wildlife to live alongside people. Smart streetlights that dim after midnight would ensure migrating birds wouldn’t get lost, and green roofs would absorb stormwater that might otherwise flood streets. Wildlife crossings, such as those in Canada and the Netherlands, can help animals safely cross roads. Greener cities will protect nature and teach kids to care about the creatures they see every day. Rebuttal Debater 2 Olivia High-tech fixes can’t cover up our growing demand for resources. Green towers require extensive water, soil, and fertilizer, often transported via air-polluting trucks. Wildlife bridges are only effective if the nearby land stays undeveloped, which many cities overlook. Unless we reduce driving, cut waste, and protect large wild areas outside city limits, nature will continue to die out. The green ideas you mentioned may look appealing, but they risk distracting us from the more difficult, long-term changes we must all make to protect nature and live more sustainably. Judge’s Comments Loren highlights how smart design can bring nature into crowded cities, while Olivia reminds us that small fixes can’t replace wild ecosystems. The best approach combines both ideas: weaving green into urban spaces while protecting large natural areas outside city limits. May For The Junior Times junior/1751271617/1613368104