| In this era of "experience economy," urban areas face increasing pressure to distinguish themselves in a world dominated by globalization. At the same time these same metropolitan areas struggle to cope with the imbalance of urban and natural systems that have resulted in the degradation of natural resources and an increase in pollution.; The metropolitan area of Houston covers 8,778 square miles, an area slightly smaller than the state of Massachusetts. Within the same area, eight different ecosystems converge in one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes in North America. The rises in pollution and destructive flooding within Houston are some of the many indicators of the imbalances within the urban ecology. A new interrelationship between both organizational systems must be addressed.; Eco-metropolis is the touristic investigation of strategies using both urban and natural systems of organization to create a unique territory of cohesive balance within the urban ecology of Houston. |
