http://www.sustainablecityblog.com/2009/11/building-bright-green-cities/ A blog on cities, design, planning and sustainable development, featuring work by Jesse Fox and others. Fri, 21 May 2010 18:35:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 http://www.sustainablecityblog.com/2009/11/building-bright-green-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-11670 Marc Schoen Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:02:29 +0000 http://www.sustainablecityblog.com/?p=2459#comment-11670 As someone who has been involved in environmental politics since the 1970's, both as a professional and as an enthusiast, I can only say that whilst I heartily support many of the environmental policy notions set forth here, it is disheartening to hear the same simplistic "us against them", conspiracy theory rhetoric that has so disabled not only the environmental movement but many other progressive movements throughout my adult life. The notion that the "big, bad authorities" are all reactionaries plotting to ruin our lives and stick it to the oh so "innocent and enlightened" masses is not only an unequivocably outdated and palpably false notion, it is also one of the major stumbling blocks to any real progress in all areas of social politics, environmental politics in particular. No effort to improve the sustainablity of our communities has any chance of success without the good will and co-operation of all parties involved, which in turn requires the often frustratingly slow processes of informing and persuading, alternative seeking and small-step compromises that make up the bulk of the decision-making procedures in the real political world. Whilst their fervour and energy may be vital to the cause, this will understandably frustrate the young, whose zeal and vague understanding of the problems involved will bring them out in the streets one day, but will ultimately see them abandon the cause altogether once they grow older and the bigger issues of real life take over. What is really required is an informed general public, whose immediate interests lie not in Greenland but in the "shop around the corner". So as far-reaching as the consequences of global warming may be, and as vast and complicated as the mechanisms required to combat it may be, we can only succeed in bringing about real change if we succeed in making it all accessible. And we can only make it accessible if we fine-tune the issues to where people "live", without any preconceptions of support, and by approaching the authorities with conviction and perserverance, yes, but also with a modicum of respect and understanding. One need only look at the past year of American politics in particular to see what perils lie ahead if we fail to do so. As someone who has been involved in environmental politics since the 1970′s, both as a professional and as an enthusiast, I can only say that whilst I heartily support many of the environmental policy notions set forth here, it is disheartening to hear the same simplistic “us against them”, conspiracy theory rhetoric that has so disabled not only the environmental movement but many other progressive movements throughout my adult life. The notion that the “big, bad authorities” are all reactionaries plotting to ruin our lives and stick it to the oh so “innocent and enlightened” masses is not only an unequivocably outdated and palpably false notion, it is also one of the major stumbling blocks to any real progress in all areas of social politics, environmental politics in particular. No effort to improve the sustainablity of our communities has any chance of success without the good will and co-operation of all parties involved, which in turn requires the often frustratingly slow processes of informing and persuading, alternative seeking and small-step compromises that make up the bulk of the decision-making procedures in the real political world. Whilst their fervour and energy may be vital to the cause, this will understandably frustrate the young, whose zeal and vague understanding of the problems involved will bring them out in the streets one day, but will ultimately see them abandon the cause altogether once they grow older and the bigger issues of real life take over. What is really required is an informed general public, whose immediate interests lie not in Greenland but in the “shop around the corner”. So as far-reaching as the consequences of global warming may be, and as vast and complicated as the mechanisms required to combat it may be, we can only succeed in bringing about real change if we succeed in making it all accessible. And we can only make it accessible if we fine-tune the issues to where people “live”, without any preconceptions of support, and by approaching the authorities with conviction and perserverance, yes, but also with a modicum of respect and understanding. One need only look at the past year of American politics in particular to see what perils lie ahead if we fail to do so.

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