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Factories faded, suburbs sprawled, and glass towers rose where cranes once loaded coal. We dive into the three forces that rewired modern cities—deindustrialisation, decentralisation, and the rise of the service economy—and map how they still shape jobs, housing, transport, and climate today.

We start with the collapse of manufacturing in the UK, US, and beyond, unpacking the combined punch of globalisation, automation, and policy. From the textile exodus to robotics on car lines, we connect the dots between job losses, urban decline, brownfield legacies, and the human cost felt in places built around a single industry. Detroit’s long fall lays out the consequences: population flight, abandoned assets, and fiscal crisis—and the lessons any city can use to avoid repeating them.

Then we shift to the outward pull of decentralisation. Affordable cars, expanded highways, and better telecoms moved people and firms to the edge, birthing suburban hubs and business parks while draining traditional high streets. London’s multi-nodal evolution—from Croydon and Stratford to Canary Wharf—shows how a polycentric metropolis grows, and the complex inequalities it can generate. We weigh the environmental toll of sprawl, car dependence, and fragmented public services against the lifestyle gains that attracted millions.

Finally, we chart the service economy’s ascent. Finance, tech, healthcare, education, and creative industries revived cores left empty by factory closures, powered by digital transformation and rising consumer demand. Regeneration of London’s docklands and Manchester’s media and university clusters reveal how strategic planning, skills, and placemaking can turn dereliction into durable growth—while highlighting the skills gap that leaves many workers behind.

Throughout, we draw the threads together to ask what comes next as climate change, automation, and digitisation reshape work and space again. If you care about urban policy, equitable growth, and the future of cities, this deep dive offers clear language, sharp case studies, and practical takeaways. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves cities, and leave a review with the one change you’d make to your own city’s future.

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Lifelines in Earth's Arid Lands

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Some hints for senior school students preparing for exams.

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In an era where the impacts of climate change are increasingly evident, climate literacy has emerged as a critical component of education. Climate literacy refers to an understanding of the climate system, the scientific principles that underpin it, the ways human activities influence climate, and the potential consequences of climate change.

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A brief introduction to the structure of the earth, plate tectonics and earth forces.

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 Survival of the long-term leader by Geography Expert:

The video is about the speaker's experience as a head teacher for 23 years.

The speaker shares his insights on how to stay motivated and effective in a long-term leadership position. He emphasizes the importance of embracing change, looking for new challenges, and developing new projects. He also stresses the need to be self-aware and guard against one's ego getting in the way of the job. Additionally, he recommends accepting board or community positions to broaden one's experience and network. Finally, he encourages leaders to enjoy their work, be creative, and not get stuck in a rut.

Here are some specific examples from the video:

• The speaker describes how he set up a charity to support his school, a community interest company to look for new ways of funding, and a school farm to offer vocational and support opportunities.
• He also talks about how he developed his accounting skills in order to submit annual accounts to company's house and the Charity's regulator.
• He admits to being outspoken and sometimes impatient, and he shares how he has worked on delegating tasks and communicating more effectively with his subordinates.
• He also describes how he has served on several boards, including a local Enterprise company, local FE College, and local University, as well as some local charities.

Overall, the video provides valuable insights for anyone in a long-term leadership position. The speaker's advice is based on his own experience and is sure to be helpful for others who are looking to stay motivated and effective in their roles. 

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Exploring how I survived! and enjoyed 23 years as a secondary headteacher.

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A brief podcast to explain how a question on Corrie formation would be maked.

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A short podcast explaining to students - how to answer examination questions in Geography. Giving hints on how exams are marked and what markers are looking for in an answer. The sample exam question is from the Atmosphere topic. The hints are from a former Principal Examiner of Geography who was responsible for setting and marking exams for 10 years.

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