I have taken a bit of break from this blog because I am firm believer that when others are making cogent points with which one agrees--then it is better to step back, get out-of-the-way and let them make said points.   I particularly have taken to the CEOS FOR CITIES blog(www.ceosforcities.org ) and the blog of renowned "Creative Class" expert Richard Florida(www.creativeclass.com).

Yet I tend to address issues from the perspective of an economic development/commercial district revitalization practitioner...which makes sense, given that I actually ran agencies of all stripes before entering the consulting arena.  So, given the number of emails I have received asking me to "re--blog" I will do so.

What is irking me theses days are those who seem to be whistling past the graveyard of the energy crisis.  Jim Kunstler(www.kunstler.com) and I had coffee one rainy Sunday morning in Jim's town of Saratoga, NY two or three years ago(I had family in the area and had grown up not far from Saratoga, and was visiting) and he was already warning about the  energy problems on the horizon--as only Jim can do.  I like  to think Jim practices "gonzo planning" (thanks Hunter).    In fact his book, THE LONG EMERGENCY(I believe I have the correct title) was prescient in its view of the oil crisis.   He told me then, that the world of suburbia was about to change---and he was right!  

I live in Washington, DC and I am still shocked at the number of SUVs and 8(and yes 12) cylinder cars I see on the roads.   And we have a good public transit system!  Although one may be able to afford such behemoths--is there not a sense of social consciousness that at some point admonishes the owners of these vehicles to rid themselves of these gas guzzlers?  The answer is an obvious--NO!  Many of these drivers call themselves "liberals," yet they seem to ignore that moniker when tooling down the road or firing up that grill for yet another sterile  weekend suburban gathering of fellow-high fossil fuel users.  It is as though they are trapped in some LEAVE IT TO BEAVER  view of the world.  I sometimes wonder if they actually live in an old, bland, black and white existence.

What irks me even more are those who are two-family car owners, live in a suburban sub-division and somehow justify the big car, the minivan and the house 20-miles plus from the City Center.....or  20 miles from reasonable public transportation.  Of course the argument these folks advance is always--almost always--rooted in "the schools" and a desire for a good education for their children(that and the fresh air of the suburbs--must be great with all those SUVS and minivans).  Gimme a break.  You can find a good school in almost any US City today and indeed if you are a "liberal" it would be great if you started acting like one.  If you don't like the schools--change them.  And as an added feature, your kids will actually get exercise and not become part of another generation of overweight idle Americans.  No more shuttling around from ballet, to swimming to gymnastics to well, ...you name it.........!  Driving to exercise--only in America.

I am doing a great deal of research these days on the role of entrepreneurship in commercial district revitalization.
Many folks who want to become downtown entrepreneurs are doing so because they no longer want an absurd commute and would rather work closer to home.  These are the the folks that are true agents of change and they are the people that will not be caught with their pants down  when the energy crisis really hits home.  


So my suburban friends; Please do the rest of us a favor and move to smaller, more energy-efficient places near public transit.  It may take a year or two given the housing "crisis," but for those of us who have been practicing Smart Growth living for years--believe me when I say--it can be done--and it can be fun.  See you on the bus.

Chuck

Chuck D'Aprix
Principal
Economic Development Visions
THE RETAIL INCUBATION GROUP
The Downtown Entrepreneurship Project
Washington, DC--Boston--Miami
202-248-9715
http://www.economicvisions.com
http://www.RetailIncubation.com
http://www.downtownproject.com