Cars, cars, cars. We love them, we drive them, we develop asthma from their exhaust, and we waste an unbelievable number of hours sitting in them. There is a better way, but it is going to take some work. The real problem is that we have built our communities in such a way that it is very difficult to get along without a car. We've created a vicious circle of need and demand, and now we must live with the daily commute to wherever we need to be. Stores, schools, and workplaces are all just too far to get to easily by walking. Modern roads are not friendly to bicyclers and public transportation just takes two long. Now American's are fatter then ever and consume more resources per capita than just about everybody in the world. American's pollute more than anybody, and we've been getting away with it simply because we are so spread out. What a sorry state of affairs.
Things are going to have to change, but how? Even though many environmentalist would like us too, Americans are not going to voluntarily slow down, let alone reverse, economic growth for the sake of environmental concerns. We want to have our cake and eat it too.
China, on the other hand, is discovering that if they build their economy the same way America has, they won't have enough good air to breath or water to drink. This difficult truth is starting to sink in. As a result, China is at the forefront of a new paradigm shift. They have chosen to invest in communities that will be "sustainable." It makes good sense to replace what you consume, but historically we haven't done a good job. We've always depended on the environment to clean our air, clean our water, rejuvenate the soil, provide animals that we can eat, and keep this world of our a nice place to live. Now there are so many of us that natural cycles can't keep up. This is something that we like to ignore, and we do a reasonable job of doing so in the US. China doesn't have the luxury.
China is investing in an experimental city called Dongtan. This metropolis will contain half a million people, and do so without tearing down the environment around it. People will live close together so they can share resources and access public transportation. Open spaces will be preserved and power will come from renewable sources. To learn more about this experiment, look here:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.05/feat_popup.html
This dramatic effort for developing the ideal 21st Century City is not limited to China. Smaller communities with more modest goals tuned to American sensibilities are also in development. Daybreak Community near Salt Lake City, Utah, is another effort to make cities better. With store, homes, workplaces, and schools all within walking distance, this community hopes to drastically reduce the need for cars. Bike trails and sidewalks wander around homes, parks, and open spaces. Water and power are conserved through good engineering and design. You can read more about it right here:
http://www.daybreakutah.com/index.php
These communities are not just about saving the environment, they are about recapturing what it means to be a community: where everyone knows their neighbors, and no one feels like a stranger. These communities are bound to have problems, but problems will be overcome and improvements made. I feel that these efforts will bear valuable fruit and future generations will live in communities that are more sustainable, friendly, and beautiful than anything we've ever dreamed of.
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5 comments:
I knew of the problems in China, the most drastic measure that China took back in the '70's was to tell families that they could only have one child...thus the reason there are so many chinese families here in the US!
I wish that the American people would listen to the warnings of their leaders, like AL GORE's 'An Inconvenient Truth' and realize the danger we are all in. I wish that all of our cities would bring about recycling regulations for everyone and not have it on a volunteer basis.
Anyway, interesting article and great thoughts! Have a great week Jason!
Angela
http://lightgreendryad.livejournal.com/
In exchange for such an awesome article, I've given you a little publicity from my own blog. Blame it on Steven.
I'm your cheerleader on this topic. Since I have to use the public transportation system (which is relatively decent) and I live in a city that doesn't have sidewalks into shopping centers and along people's lawns, I've got half a mind to move to one of these places. But for now, I'll just hope that there's one that pops up in the Washington/Oregon area in the next few years.
I was watching a show on cable today "Engineering the Impossible" and two topics came up, the "Millinium Building" and the "Freedom Ship"
The building is proposed for Hong Kong Harbor and would take more steel than Japan can generate in a year's time.
The ship would be a floating city one mile across and 3 city blocks wide that would travel from port to port.
Both would have schools and hospitals and be a city within itself, any comments or thoughts on it? I'd love to hear!
Thanks for the advertising Kate!
Well, it's thanks to Kate that I came to this blog. How goes it, Schmidts? It was fun to read your articles.
If you'd like to see how we Phelpses are doing, check out our blog.
I'm a little more skeptical of the green ideas. Well, maybe "pragmatic" is a better word. I think it would be awesome to be better for the environment, and we've got to make cars better or get rid of them altogether, but it's really all about the money, isn't it? For example, why are people only just now complaining about and seeking alternatives to gas? Because it's hitting them where it hurts, the wallet. Until great innovation is backed by the masses, it will not receive the financial or intellectual support needed to make it successful. And great innovations won't get mass support until there's a need for the innovation. Guilt is a so-so motivator for green movements, but not enough to get most people--who always resist change (always have, always will)--to support ideas that may or may not work. That will take another kind of green.
Having said that, I think things are changing for the better all the time, and I think people do generally want to do their part for the environment. For example, companies that make large appliances, like dishwashers, washing machines, etc, are already producing more energy efficient models based on customer demand (and some government regulations, I think). It's going to take some time, though, for the huge changes some people are calling for. Let's see if these green cities work first, and let's make these efficient cars affordable. Helping the environment shouldn't just be for the rich. Make saving the world something viable for the everyman, and I believe he'll do it.
Anyway, those are my thoughts. Thanks for the food for thought!
-Sarah
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