What would a car-free city look like? J.H. Crawford thinks he knows
Granted, AutoblogGreen wouldn't be much of a site if we didn't have green cars to talk about day in and day out. While we're not afraid to branch out to sea vessels or bikes now and again, we deal a lot with cars here, and how to make them better for the environment. J.H. Crawford, though, has another idea: why not think of a future without any cars whatsoever, at least inside of cities. His book and website, both titled Carfree Cities, offer a detailed look at what's possible for people living in an urban area without individual transportation (public transportation and things like that would still exist). Crawford doesn't hide what he thinks about what cars have done to our world. From his introduction:
"The industrialized nations made a terrible mistake when they turned to the automobile as an instrument of improved urban mobility. The car brought with it major unanticipated consequences for urban life and has become a serious cause of environmental, social, and aesthetic problems in cities. The urban automobile:
- Kills street life
- Damages the social fabric of communities
- Isolates people
- Fosters suburban sprawl
- Endangers other street users
- Blots the city's beauty
- Disturbs people with its noise
- Causes air pollution
- Slaughters thousands every year
- Exacerbates global warming
- Wastes energy and natural resources
- Impoverishes nations
Whether or not you agree that cities should be carfree (I'd give living there a try, sure), the site is full of specific how-to plans and reasons why we should ditch our cars. It's well worth some of your time.
Related:
[Source: Carfree Cities]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tim 9:24AM (2/09/2007)
The ICE automobile is all about Greed, Power lust, Corruption and a Global Monopoly that will say and DO ANYTHING to maintain power? Take a look at this:
http://internalcombustionbook.com.
http://stadium.weblogsinc.com/autobloggreen/audiointerviews/edwinblack.mp3
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MikeW 9:16AM (2/13/2007)
Where do I go to purchase my hoverboard?
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