Sustainable Urban Village : Beyond Suburbia

Posted on | July 19, 2010 | No Comments

Sustainable Urban Village is an odd phrase.

Sustainable Urban Village is a mash up of opposites. “Village” is pastoral, dreamy, idealistic, old fashioned, small and intimate. “Urban” conjures up pretty much the opposite-gritty, concrete and asphalt, contemporary, hip, huge and cold. Add “sustainable” to the mix, and it becomes ….an odd phrase. Where would one find such a creature? And what qualities will it embody?

As we contemplate where we’re going as a people and we feel the ground shifting under us as we transform from a car dominated sprawl lifestyle to a pedestrian friendly, ecologically sound, lowered consumptive way of life, I’m suggesting we pick and choose from the best options; incorporating best practices, and lessons learned of what works and what doesn’t, leaving those choices with harsh unintended consequences behind.

“What works” for me, rolls into 5 principles; “Mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhoods, with lifelong learning and open space……everywhere.” Another way to put it? Sustainable Urban Villages, and they are found…..everywhere.

As we begin to restart our economy, I’m suggesting we pick wisely, and base our investment in the future on the real, lasting values we hold collectively. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to live in balance with our earth. The job of each member of the village is to contribute their wisdom, their vision of the desired outcome, their unique perspective. Unintended consequences happen in blind spots. The Sustainable Urban Village requires the teamwork of the neighbors to stay on the lookout for the values of consequence and the blind spots.

What follows (Examples and Benefits) are some of the collective wisdoms we’ve help uncover; values and benefits that have come through the test of time, ideas that are built on best practices and honed by blind spots; good ideas that bear being considered as we evolve our way of life into one that is “Good for people, good for the planet, and good for the polar bears”.

MIRS!  -Briske