Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Network Roundup

On Individualism, Being American and Striving for Sustainability

Yesterday, Americans celebrated independence -- strictly speaking, our independence from the British crown. More broadly speaking, the Fourth of July is also a celebration of personal independence, freedom and individualism.

false

Since for many people the single-family home has come to represent, as George H. W. Bush put it, "the American way of life," urbanists often find themselves on the defensive when the subject turns to sustainable development and personal freedoms. But as Roger Valdez at Seattle Transit Blog points out, the nation"s founders had more nuanced views than many people realize:

The first words of our written Constitution, imperfect as it may be, are plural: “We the people.

Digging bunkers won’t help us address the pressing environmental and economic problems we face. We have to tap into that other strain of American idealism represented by figures like John Adams, Henry Clay and Daniel Webster who are often marginalized by our worship of Thomas Jefferson. Clay developed the American System, a comprehensive, government driven expansion of infrastructure that built a transportation system for the United States in its early years.

Individual expression is important, but so is our civic duty to others and casino online we should articulate this aspect of American tradition more clearly in our language when we talk to people about growth and sustainability. American tradition includes the common cause, and supporting each other in times of change and challenge. Building better cities in our region, funding transit, and planning for sustainable growth will mean thinking big and beyond the principled stand of lone individuals protecting their rights.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Baltimore Spokes shares data condemning Maryland"s track record on bike and pedestrian spending. Transport Nexus wonders if zoning is really the biggest culprit for America"s car dependency. And The Bellows responds to criticism that "market-based urbanists" are too intent on describing the problems with zoning and planning policies and not focused enough on providing solutions.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Thursday’s Headlines Are Down on the Corner, Out in the Street

Bring a nickel, tap your feet as you avoid having to get into your car to drive out to the big-box strip mall.

October 3, 2024

Room for Improvement: What New York’s Subway System Can Learn from Cities Around the World

New York’s subway was once an international model of modernity. But it's not anymore.

October 3, 2024

Subway Elevators are Not Just a Nice Lift, But a Basic Civil Right

Accessibility is a must-have as cities compete to attract visitors and retain residents.

October 3, 2024

Eight Ways To Reimagine Parking Spaces

This Park(ing) Day, 175 groups across multiple countries transformed curbside parking stalls into bedrooms, terraces, living spaces and more.

October 3, 2024

Week Without Driving Day 2: Where the Sidewalk Ends

A week after I bought my house in Santa Rosa I read in the local newspaper that the city was planning to install a flashing crosswalk on Montgomery Drive.

October 2, 2024
See all posts