Paul Harris in America's love affair fades as the car becomes burden of suburbia (Observer, Guardian UK, July 6th) paints a rather bleak picture of the future of America's landscape as it is now.
He reports from the Inland Empire once farmland, now home to subdivision after subdivision.
He states that "as Americans enjoyed the 4 July holiday weekend, increasing numbers of them were staying at home rather than hitting the road. Newspapers were full of tips for staycations, not weekend breaks away. Customs once scorned, such as car pooling and cutting out trips to the mall, are now commonplace. The fact is, the vast majority of Americans cannot give up their cars altogether. Too many cities lack any reliable public transport".
By the way, Time Out New York gave its Guide to Staycations: Exciting weekends for two, starting at $105! in its July 6, 2006 Issue.
Amongst the gloomy assessments in the article are those by Chris Fauchere, a Denver-based film-maker who feels that 'Suburbia has been unsustainable since its creation'... He is producing a new documentary on the issue called The Great Squeeze.
Also quoted is Professor Bill McKibben, whose most recent book is Deep Economy,The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future (cover above is my illustration).
He thinks that "Distance is now an enemy...There's no question that the days of thoughtless driving are done".
One of the best short term solutions might be car pooling.
The end of Driving Alone for Green Day #34
Previously: Travel, Don't Tour and Please, Slow Down: Eco Friendly Vacation Tips
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