25 Feet Deep

The past seven blogs have assessed above ground urban metabolic processes in Las Vegas city, and the inequality that entails. In this final blog post I am going to explore the depths of Las Vegas, 25 feet below the Las Vegas strip – the sewers. Figure 1, photograph of beneath the Las Vegas Strip Photograph:…

Is Las Vegas “Gambling with lives”?

In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic swept across the world and Las Vegas was one of the hardest hit cities in Nevada. On the 16th of March 2020, all non-essential businesses were told to shut. With the city stripped of life, an opportunity was presented to investigate the urban dynamics that led to over 2,000 deaths…

All you can *waste* buffet?

“Metabolism describes all the chemical processes that go on continuously inside your body to keep you alive and your organs functioning normally, such as breathing, repairing cells and digesting food” Similarly, urban metabolism can be used to understand the ‘socio-ecological landscape’ of cities, how they use and produce both resources and waste (Swyngedouw, 2005:21). In…

It’s Getting Hot in Here

Las Vegas City is feeling the heat – but not feeling it equally.  Las Vegas is the ‘fastest-warming city in the United States’  – temperatures have increased by 5.76F since 1970 and as the climate crisis worsens, so do the statistics. The most effective way to understand the ‘heat gap’ is through an urban political…

Sin City to Sustainable City: Las Vegas’ Greatest Show

Sin city, the ‘emblem of consumerist excess’ claims to be taking a turn towards the sustainable but in this urban metropolis sustainability is another jackpot for hotels and casinos.  In 2005, a green building incentive package was passed by Nevada State legislature. With this came a ‘royal flush’ for hotels and casinos, able to cash…

The Urban Rainforest in the Middle of a Desert Part 2

Part 2 of this water blog assesses how the city of excess has become a beacon of moderation in the water world. “Water is going to become more and more of a debate,”  “I’m asking people to take a look at the natural world around them. You want to get people to think of rivers…

The Urban Rainforest in the Middle of a Desert Part 1

This two-part blog looks at water in the desert city of Las Vegas. Just through looking at a few media representations of Las Vegas, it is easy to see that water has become part of the city’s aesthetic. The city of Las Vegas was founded in 1905 due to the discovery of the natural springs…

Las Vegas – The City That Lights Up the Desert

Having never been to Las Vegas I hold little local knowledge of the city. However, from the vast media portrayal and its infamous reputation, it’s hard to think of it as anything but an immense machine of excess, consumption and extravagance. When I picture Las Vegas in my head, I think of the fakeness of…