Sunday, May 22, 2005
Why I am not an environmentalist
To low-income people, "environmentalism has seemed to be about preserving places most of us will never see," says Orson Aguilar, a community activist in California. Instead of helping low-income communities, environmentalists have opposed actions that could provide more affordable housing. As a result, Aquilar thinks that the death of the environmental movement that has been proclaimed by some environmentalists may be a good thing. "Until environmentalists put economic development on their agenda along with protecting the planet, people from low-income communities will have trouble calling themselves green."
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Unfortunately, low-income communities seem increasingly willing to buy into this nonsense, as the Inglewood, CA referendum against Wal-Mart last year illustrates.
This might be one bad case in the thousands of redevelopement project happening across the nation. In the New York Metropolitan, thousands of new homes have been built in the last 10 years on land that was vacant for decades. The revitalization of inner cities is taking place and transit is the key to the success.
Urban sprawl is coming to an end and these polluted lots will eventually become luxury condos and cooperatives over time. Smart Growth developement is critical for the economic prosperity of this nation.
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Urban sprawl is coming to an end and these polluted lots will eventually become luxury condos and cooperatives over time. Smart Growth developement is critical for the economic prosperity of this nation.
