Written by Administrator | 08 March 2012

النسخة العربية أدناه

BACKGROUND

The Lebanese have always sought out a breathing space for them and their children away from the city, far from the pollution and stress that the city holds, and where cement horizons do not block out the sun.

However, in a country where citizens pay a high price to access public spaces, notably the sea and rivers, despite their natural and free right to benefit from such places, an important issue emerges: Access to Green Spaces in cities and particularly in Beirut.

Access to public spaces has been a major concern for Green Line since its establishment.

 

SO LET’S GROW GREEN SPACES!

 

There is a need to differentiate between “tree planting” and “green spaces”.

Trees are important, since one tree can annually remove about 12 kg of CO2 from the air, an equivalent of 17700 km of gas emissions from cars. However, hundreds or even thousands of trees on both sides of public roads cannot provide a safe space for leisure and walking within he city.

BENEFITS OF ENHANCING URBAN PUBLIC GREEN SPACES:

Benefits on the environment:

·                             Help regulate the climate and air quality.

·                             Reduce consumption of energy through stopping the impacts of warming resulting from asphalt on the roads.

·                             Aid in the absorption of smoke and dust and other air pollutants.

·                              Help maintain biodiversity by providing spaces for migrating species and preserving habitat.

 

A better quality of life:

·                              Provide an opportunity for physical activity which promotes mental, physical and social well-being and helps to prevent future health problems.

·                              Offer youth a safe place for meeting, leisure and playing.

 

OUR DEMANDS

1.               Conserve, develop and improve green spaces and existing gardens.

2.                Allocate a larger budget for the few remaining public gardens of Beirut to ensure preservation and appropriate maintenance.

3.                Terminate any project that changes, cuts or eliminates the nature of any of the existing gardens,

4.                Allow full and free public access to Horsh Beirut.

5.                Convert all the Hippodrome area into a public garden.

6.                Extend opening hours of public gardens.

7.                Establish a committee of friends of public gardens that includes specialists to offer suggestions on improving the quality of public gardens.

8.                Enhance free activities in public gardens to encourage people to access these gardens.

9.                Develop underground parking and build new public gardens on top.

10.              Provide incentives for turning vacant lots and rundown areas into green and/or open spaces.