Brian Barton
In the city-building game Cities: Skylines, pollution is a major issue that players must manage. Caused by industries, traffic, sewage, and certain buildings, pollution can have detrimental effects on the health and happiness of citizens, as well as lowering property values and causing environmental degradation. While it is challenging to create a completely pollution-free city, players can employ various strategies to minimize pollution and its impact. This includes careful planning of industrial zones, utilizing renewable energy sources, improving traffic flow, and implementing noise reduction measures. Additionally, managing sewage and water treatment is crucial to prevent water pollution, which can have far-reaching consequences for the city and its inhabitants.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of Pollution | Air, Ground, Water, Noise |
| Causes of Pollution | Industries, Traffic, Sewage, Buildings |
| Effects of Pollution | Sickness, Unhappiness, Lower Property Values |
| Ways to Reduce Pollution | Separate Industrial and Residential Areas, Use Renewable Energy, Improve Traffic Flow, Use Water Drain Pipes Downstream |
| Water Pollution Solutions | Water Treatment Plants, Floating Garbage Collectors, Water Drain Pipes |
| Noise Pollution Solutions | Sound Barriers, Trees, Offices |
| Ground Pollution Solutions | Nuclear Power Plants, Wind Turbines, Solar Power Plants, Wastewater Treatment Plants |
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![Cities: Skylines [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51aaLY1lSCL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
Place industrial zones away from residential areas
When creating a city without pollution in Cities: Skylines, it is important to consider the placement of industrial zones in relation to residential areas. Here are some detailed tips to achieve this:
Firstly, understand the supply chain. Industrial zones produce goods, which are then sold in commercial zones, while residents are the employees and consumers in this process. Offices, which provide pollution-free jobs, are also part of the industrial zone but do not directly produce goods.
Next, plan the zoning carefully. In the game, it is recommended to keep industrial zones away from residential areas to avoid pollution. You can create districts and assign them to specific industries. Farming and forestry, for example, do not cause pollution, so switching industrial areas to these specialties can help maintain a pollution-free environment.
When placing zones, consider using commercial and office zones as buffer areas between residential and industrial zones. This helps to reduce the impact of noise and air pollution on residential areas. Commercial zones, such as stores, can be placed near residential areas to reduce traffic and provide convenience for residents.
Additionally, pay attention to water sources and sewage systems. Pollution can spread through water, so ensure that waste disposal methods, such as water treatment plants or water drain pipes, are located downstream from the city's water pumping stations.
By following these tips and carefully managing the placement of industrial zones and their impact on the environment, you can work towards creating a city without pollution in Cities: Skylines.
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Use green energy over coal and gas power plants
In Cities: Skylines, pollution is a significant concern, as it can stain the land and water, kill vegetation, reduce property values, and cause health issues for citizens. While it is challenging to completely eliminate pollution without using DLC buildings or special mods, players can implement strategies to minimize its impact. One effective approach is to prioritize the use of green energy sources over coal and gas power plants.
The "Green Power!" scenario in Cities: Skylines offers a compelling challenge for players aiming to create a city without pollution. In this scenario, the winning condition is to have your city running on 100% clean energy sources. To achieve this, players must carefully select their power sources and energy production facilities.
When starting the "Green Power!" scenario, it is crucial to use a wind turbine as your first power plant. Building a windmill or wind turbine at the beginning of the game will unlock the "Green Energy" achievement. This initial step sets the foundation for a city powered by renewable energy.
As your city expands, you can continue to add green energy sources to meet the growing demand for electricity. The game provides several options for clean power generation, including geothermal power plants, solar updraft towers, ocean thermal energy conversion plants, and solar power plants. These renewable energy sources produce electricity without the harmful emissions associated with coal and gas power plants.
By exclusively utilizing these green energy buildings, players can achieve the "Green Energy" achievement and power their city entirely through sustainable means. This approach not only reduces pollution levels but also demonstrates a commitment to environmental stewardship. It is important to note that processing buildings, such as flour mills and paper production facilities, can still produce some pollution, so managing these industries is crucial.
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Manage water pollution with treatment plants
Water treatment plants are an effective way to manage water pollution in Cities: Skylines. While they don't eliminate water pollution completely, they significantly reduce it, purifying about 85% of sewage pollution before disposal. This is in contrast to regular drain pipes, which dump raw sewage into bodies of water, causing water pollution that can make citizens sick and lower property values.
To use water treatment plants effectively, it's important to understand the water flow in your city. Identify the direction of water flow by selecting a pumping station or drain pipe and zooming in on a river; the arrows on the water surface indicate the direction and speed of the current. Ensure that your water treatment plants are downstream from your sewage pipes to treat the sewage before it enters the water supply.
Water treatment plants are more expensive, require more energy, and take up more space compared to regular drain pipes. However, they are worth considering for the significant reduction in water pollution they provide. If aesthetics are important to you, water treatment plants can also improve the appearance of your city by reducing the amount of brown, polluted water visible near your city.
While water treatment plants help manage water pollution, they don't address ground pollution caused by the treatment process itself. To mitigate this, consider using eco-friendly treatment plants, such as those included in the Green Cities DLC, which produce no waste in water or the Sunset Harbor DLC, which offers inland and eco-inland plants. Alternatively, create a closed-loop drainage system to purify the water multiple times before disposal, making pollution practically non-existent.
In summary, water treatment plants are a valuable tool for managing water pollution in Cities: Skylines. By reducing pollution levels and improving the aesthetics of your city, they contribute to a healthier and more attractive environment for your citizens. For completely pollution-free water services, consider the Green Cities DLC or create a closed-loop drainage system to ensure the cleanest possible water for your city.
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Reduce traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a common problem in Cities: Skylines, and managing it takes a lot of time and brainpower. Here are some strategies to reduce traffic congestion and improve the flow of vehicles in your city:
Use One-Way Roads and Avenues
Implementing one-way roads and avenues can improve traffic flow. This technique, known as the "coffee filter," involves creating a network of one-way streets where all traffic moves in the same direction. This helps to streamline the flow of vehicles and prevent bottlenecks at intersections.
Avoid Packing Intersections Too Tightly
Intersections that are too close together can cause significant traffic congestion. When vehicles pass through one intersection, they may block the space between that intersection and the next, leading to a complete breakdown of traffic flow. It is recommended to space out intersections and provide sufficient distance between them to ensure smooth traffic movement.
Implement Roundabouts
Roundabouts are intersections where vehicles do not have to come to a complete stop, allowing for a smoother flow of traffic. While they may not be common in some regions, such as the United States, they can be highly effective in reducing congestion and improving traffic flow.
Develop Efficient Public Transportation
Encouraging citizens to use public transportation can help reduce the number of cars on the road. Buses, metros, trains, and other transport options can ease traffic congestion. Ensure that public transport lines are efficient and well-connected, with circular routes and well-placed stops that overlap with other lines to maximize passenger usage.
Utilize Traffic Controls and Information
Make full use of the game's traffic controls to manage traffic flow effectively. The traffic info view, indicated by an icon of several cars, can provide valuable insights. Green indicates full-speed traffic, while orange and red show areas where vehicles are slowing down or stopping. This information can help identify problem areas and make informed decisions to improve traffic flow.
Space Out Zones
Avoid zoning on both sides of every street, especially in industrial areas. Give room to zones by spacing them out instead of placing them right next to each other. This can help reduce traffic congestion and improve the overall flow of vehicles in your city.
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Choose policies and buildings to minimise pollution
While it is impossible to completely avoid pollution in Cities: Skylines without using DLC buildings or special mods, you can implement policies and choose buildings that minimise pollution and keep your citizens happy and healthy.
To minimise air pollution, it is important to manage traffic flow by reducing traffic jams and banning heavy traffic and combustion engines from residential areas. You should also choose renewable energy sources such as wind turbines, solar power plants, and nuclear power plants over coal and gas power plants.
To reduce ground pollution, it is essential to carefully plan and place services and facilities that output ground pollutants, such as power plants and garbage management facilities. These facilities should be kept away from residential areas and placed near the border of the map, downwind from your city. Ground pollution can also be minimised by investing in sewage upgrades and ensuring that sewage is placed downstream, away from water pumping stations.
Water pollution can be reduced by utilising water treatment plants, which eliminate 85% of pollution from sewage. Additionally, the Floating Garbage Collector can be built to filter pollution out of bodies of water.
Noise pollution can be lowered by upgrading roads with sound barriers for motorways and trees for normal roads. Offices and commercial zones also help to reduce noise pollution. It is recommended to keep buildings that produce noise pollution separate from residential areas.
Finally, you can minimise pollution by specialising districts in farming or forestry, as these industries do not cause pollution.
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Frequently asked questions
It is nearly impossible to completely rid your city of pollution without using DLC buildings or special mods. However, you can take measures to reduce pollution and keep citizens happy and healthy.
Air pollution is caused by industry, traffic, garbage management, and specific power plants. To reduce air pollution, you should ensure good traffic flow, minimise traffic jams, and choose renewable energy sources such as wind turbines over coal and gas power plants. You can also ban heavy traffic and combustion engines from residential areas.
Sewage should be placed downstream, away from water pumping stations. While water treatment plants can reduce water pollution, they don't eliminate it completely. A Floating Garbage Collector can filter pollution out of bodies of water.
Ground pollution is caused by industry, power plants, and garbage management facilities. While it is challenging to prevent, you can minimise its impact by opting for cleaner and renewable energy sources, such as nuclear power plants, wind turbines, solar power plants, and wastewater treatment plants.
Noise pollution is caused by traffic, industry, commercial zones, and certain buildings. You can reduce noise pollution by upgrading roads with sound barriers for motorways and trees for normal roads. Placing offices and commercial zones can also help reduce noise pollution.
