We Want YOU to Fight Sprawl

As kind of a wrap up for my blogs for the semester, I thought I'd look into something that we can all take away from this class. In specific, I researched the ways that we as individuals can fight sprawl. A lot of Suburban Nation focused on the problems with city planners, governmental policies, and builders, but not a lot of it looked into the smaller things that Joe Everyman can do to take down Suburbia.

This article from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources gives a good list of advisable things for the individual to do to fight sprawl takeover. Things as simple as moving into a mixed use environment, living near work, and shopping downtown are not only convenient, they send a message to legislators and builders. After all, it is the choices of the individual that drive America's capitalistic society and it is therefore their choices that first created a need for sprawl. If the individual shows that he has shed his desire for sprawl, sprawl will no longer have the fuel it needs. In the same vein, we, as individuals, can speak out by sending letters to local legislators in support of building in space efficient ways, reusing existing buildings, and revising zoning. Supporting local businesses, such as local loggers and farmers can help ward off the need for franchises which breed sprawl.

Live how you want to live, and the rest will come. If the majority decides that sprawl is no longer necessary, then it will die.

Signing out,
-Andrew Van Deventer

Auntie Em! Sprawl!

This video and the blog on Wired.com which it used as its source, suggests a frightening consequence of sprawl that I had neither heard of nor considered. In doing so, it presents new considerations when planning the solution to sprawl. The beginning of the video lists very logical issues associated with sprawl, such as air and water pollution, but it then moves on to say that these side effects of sprawl could be the cause of extreme weather conditions. According to the blog, $250 million worth of damage was caused to Atlanta by an immense tornado in March. As the narrator of the video says, the storm was allowed to grow to its size due to the characteristics of urban sprawl such as drought and "urban heat pockets." This article really brought the realization of the consequences of sprawl to a new level for me. Its intensity is definitive proof of the effects that sprawl has on the environment.

With such intense consequences on the plate, we can't just worry about making roads straight and houses unique. When we look for a solution to sprawl, we may now have to pay closer attention to breaking down the heat our city gives off and the responsible use of water. It's not just a cosmetic or convenience issue anymore. This is about safety.

-Andrew Van Deventer

Best Overall Neighborhood

Of all the towns we have studied this semester, I think that the best town overall was Peachtree City. This neighborhood has qualities of both a traditional and a sprawling area, and it works extremely well here. Peachtree City is home to some of the best schools in the state of Georgia and it is growing rapidly. In this town, there are over 90 miles of golf cart roads that can be used to run, bike, or teach a young and aspiring driver good driving practices. In addition, the city is full of public spaces like golf courses and parks for kids to get out and play.

In examining the many benefits of a sprawling neighborhood, it is hard to be completely against them. For example, most people get along better with their neighbor because there are few differences between them. Most of the citizens make roughly the same amount of money which removes the awkwardness of economical discrimination. Also, because of this all around higher income, the school districts are better and the schools have more money; therefore making them more up to date with technology and education standards. In addition, being in a different environment than one's place of business is pleasant because it allows one to leave work worries at the office. Granted, with all the driving that comes with the separation of work and home, there is a great need for cars to get to and from anywhere. But in a city with as many "green practices" as Peachtree City, this is a minor trade off.

Peachtree City also has some of the aspects of a traditional neighborhood. For instance, there are plenty of public spaces to meet and greet one's neighbors and enjoy the outdoors. In a city with as many outdoor attractions as this one, the desire to stay inside is greatly reduced as most kids want to get outside and socialize. While "walkability" isn't one of Peachtree City's bigger qualities, the environmentally friendly practice of driving golf carts is a major plus for the city and the cart paths are great for walking or jogging on. The city does take up a lot of space which is the biggest problem of sprawl, it is part of the American Dream to own a big house and lots of land. This city is the best example of an attempt to please everyone's values in terms of a neighborhood and effective land use standards.

-Michael Saunders

What is America's Identity?

This entire class has been focused mainly on the notion of a "Southern Identity," but what about the North? Does the North identify with their own set of cultural norms? The answer, while not an entirely black and white one, is fairly easy to ballpark with a simple trip to Google's search engine. Type in 'southern identity' on Google and it spits out a plethora of articles about the southern United States including news articles, books, magazines, and websites dedicated entirely to the South's pride. Trying 'northern identity' however yields nothing. Not only does the term not appear at all on the drop down menu, but the articles that appear after the search button is pressed lack any sort of affiliation with the United States. After searching for at least a half an hour, I still failed to find a single article about Northern identity. It's just not a term that is used. Northerners have a certain way of life, but they don't necessarily have that emotional bond to their way of life that Southerners have.

The North's missing identity then caused me to come back to the question that I've been neglecting all semester. Is identity in the United States properly applied? This class has showed me that identity is indeed important, and that a sense of passion for one's surroundings can create comfort, community, and a better way to live. However, in a way that is similar to the subject of my previous blog about the separation of the suburban and urban environments, the United States has developed an unhealthy separation of identities within itself. Two different articles about the decline of Southern Identity, one in USA Today and one in the Seatle Pi, look at the same problem with entirely different view points. The USA Today article surprisingly seems to look upon the South favorably, but the Seatle Pi tends towards the North. However, both articles have undertones that suggest the rivalry that is ever present between the two sections of our country. The Seatle Pi provides several quotations that scorn both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line then makes a couple comments about the South such as an unnecessary study on adult toothlessness. The USA Today article seems to try to remain as neutral as possible, but nevertheless dons a slight hint of resentment toward cultures other than those considered 'southern.' The North seems capable of developing an identity but only when it is needed to bash a Southerner or fend off a Southern critic. On the other end, the South's fiery opinions and intense attachment to their way of life feed off of their resentment towards the North. Both are constantly trying to prove better than the other. To futher the tension, the North and the South are constantly addressed as separate beings despite their unification under the American flag. Both articles, as well as my blog, capitalize the words 'Northerner' and 'Southerner' as if the words indicated members of different countries as opposed to members of different sections of one nation. The very name of our country insinuates unification, and yet we are not unified

Southern identity is something that will never go away, and I'm not contending that it should. I'm suggesting that it be looked upon as something to share with the North, not to fight it with, and that it be allowed to loosen a little. Would it not make more sense to strip ourselves slightly of our Southern and Northern identities and begin working toward an American identity? When taking into consideration the opposition that still resides in our nation 150 years after the end of the Civil War, the McMansionization and franchisation of America takes on a new light. It is true that different areas must have their own unique features, but wouldn't a sense of nationwide similarity be beneficial to us as a people? Slathering sprawl all over America may not be the answer, but something must be done to put to rest the illusion of separation that our nation suffers from. If America can break down the barriers that suffocate its community, or it can create surroundings that are to an extent similar throughout all of its reaches, no American will ever feel completely like an outcast.

-Andrew Van Deventer

Big Weekend in Atlanta

I wanted to blog about a very big event coming up this weekend in Atlanta. As the entire state knows, Georgia Tech is playing the University of Georgia, if one could call it a university, at Bobby Dodd Stadium. As the fans gear up in their white and gold or red and black, the excitement can be felt everywhere in the state of Georgia. Alumni of Georgia Tech come back to re-experience the intensity of the stadium and UGA alumni come to see what an academically challenging school looks like. This event will bring a lot of people to the city of Atlanta, and in an already crowded and sprawling city, it will be extremely crowded.

Atlanta is considered sprawl,as defined by the authors of Suburban Nation, and therefore already has problems with traffic as all vehicle are funneled into wide streets that are easily congested. With all this attention being put on the city, will something be done to try to improve on the design of the city? The streets of the city are overcrowded without the addition of any other visitors and with the addition of each fan coming to see the game, the problem gets much worse.

But there is another side to Atlanta that isn't effected by sprawl which has been spreading rapidly across the nation. Outside of downtown Atlanta, the city can be considered traditional according to the views of the writers of Suburban Nation. The sidewalks are wide enough for a heavy flow of pedestrians and walking distances are very common for desired locations. According to the authors of Suburban Nation, this area should be able to handle the increase of people as fans come in for the game. Unfortunately, it can't.

Although the book says that traditional cities are more adaptable to great influx of people and traffic never gets too congested, in practice this does not seem to be the case. So is a traditional neighborhood really significantly better? In terms of ability to handle large amounts of people, the answer is definitely no. So as we all head out for the game, you should challenge yourself to think of a better design for a city that can bring together the better qualities of both traditional and sprawling areas.

--Michael Saunders

Macon, Georgis: my favorite example of traditonal neighborhood

My entire family is from Macon, Georgia, and I have always loved visiting everyone. Downtown Macon is full of history and activities such as the famous Cherry Tree Festival. I have always known that I loved Macon, but it was not until my English class that I realized that down town Macon is a perfect example of a traditional neighborhood, and that is one of the reasons I have always enjoyed spending time there.

Downtown Macon is full of historic homes that were built before the Civil War, and these homes are always my favorite to look at. I have visited homes such as the Cannonball House , a mansion that was hit with a cannonball during Stoneman’s raid but restored beautifully. Other things to do include The Cherry Tree Festival; Macon is famous for their cherry trees, and the pink blossoms add so much beauty to Macon. Not only is Macon historic, but it incorporates narrow roads with parking on all the roads with large sidewalks. Restaurants and small shops line the road. This setup provides walkability, a characteristic of traditional neighborhood according to the authors of Suburban Nation. Because of the setup of the area, there is a greater sense of community. People walk instead of drive cars around the neighborhood allowing everyone to get to know each other adding to sense of community. The public spaces such as the museums also add to the sense.

I am excited for my next visit to Macon next weekend. I will make sure to take the time to appreciate its historic value and and the setup of the area. Everyone is so friendly, and being there lets me enjoy my Southern roots and background.

Molly Waller

European Sprawl: Who's to blame?

I read an article recently called European Urban Sprawl which disputs the myth that American sprawl is the cause of sprawl in Europe. The article was aged, but it made several observations which still apply to today. Supposedly, according to the article, Europe's incline in sprawl cannot be contributed to America, but instead was birthed of its own accord. The thing that piqued my interest about the article was the claim that Europe's public transit, which is very large when compared with America's, had little affect on the incline of sprawl and the usage of the automobile. Supposedly, European automobile usage has grown at a rate of three times that of America's since the 1970's. Even though the automobile preyed on Europe after it fed on America, public transit was not use against its onslaught.



The question then arises that if the use of public transit, a constantly suggested solution to sprawl, has not had an affect on the uprise of sprawl, how can it result in sprawl's downfall? A more recent article, Myth and Reality About European Sprawl, updated me on Europe's sprawl, and revealed that, just as is the case in America, sprawl is dying. There are many conclusions that can be made from all of this information, but I choose to see the most obvious one: the death of sprawl will only come about with a rise of awareness. Public transit cannot fight sprawl by itself, though it helps. The human population must see that their true enemy is not each other, but the car. Only once sprawl's automobile henchman is stifled, can the people win against suburbia.

-Andy Van Deventer