Experts predict that the size of urban areas will rise by around three times between the years 2000 and 2030 [1]. It is well documented that the "structures of our cities" have a major impact on the occurrence of severe or extreme weather in the surrounding regional environment [2]. In rapidly expanding cities, especially in developing nations, these urban morphologies are characterized by impermeable surfaces, rapid loss of green area, and habitat fragmentation [3]. Green areas in cities, known collectively as urban forests, help lessen regional and local storm-related flooding and water pollution [4], improve air and water quality, moderate temperature, and promote nutrient cycling in soil, all while sequestering carbon [5]. So, Massive land transformations in urban areas--from green to concrete – result in an ever-increasing number of impermeable surfaces, resulting in an unnatural environment [6].

We are in the middle of a business model revolution. And we are active participants in that revolution. We have been transitioning from a society where possession and application of physical commodities defined wealth and power, to a society where possession and application of knowledge define wealth and power. Throughout the 20th century, oil had been the most valuable commodity in defining wealth and power. Possession and application of oil defined the fortunes of individuals (John D. Rockefeller, H.L. Hunt, Paul Getty), companies (Standard Oil, ExxonMobil, Shell, BP), and countries (United States, Russia, Saudi Arab, Iraq, Canada, Venezuela).