Monday, May 24, 2004
Vermont Endangered by Big-Box Stores
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which supports smart growth, has listed the entire state of Vermont as one of eleven most-endangered places in the U.S. The prime threat to Vermont is that its residents may soon have the same opportunity to shop in big-box stores that Americans in the rest of the U.S. have enjoyed. This would result in "erosion of the state's unique sense of place."
Of course, no one will force Vermontians to shop at these stores. But somehow it makes more sense to deny them that choice than to risk losing a "unique sense of place."
It is worth noting that one of the National Trust's other endangered "places" is "tobacco barns of southern Maryland," which are apparently endangered by the decline of the tobacco industry and Maryland's efforts to persuade farmers to grow something less deadly. I guess everyone who quit smoking should light up again to help protect those endangered barns.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which supports smart growth, has listed the entire state of Vermont as one of eleven most-endangered places in the U.S. The prime threat to Vermont is that its residents may soon have the same opportunity to shop in big-box stores that Americans in the rest of the U.S. have enjoyed. This would result in "erosion of the state's unique sense of place."
Of course, no one will force Vermontians to shop at these stores. But somehow it makes more sense to deny them that choice than to risk losing a "unique sense of place."
It is worth noting that one of the National Trust's other endangered "places" is "tobacco barns of southern Maryland," which are apparently endangered by the decline of the tobacco industry and Maryland's efforts to persuade farmers to grow something less deadly. I guess everyone who quit smoking should light up again to help protect those endangered barns.
Comments:
Post a Comment
