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 Hank Dittmar負責「平面運輸政策計畫」中的運輸與生活品質運動，這個計畫是由一個致力於重建運輸政策的環境與地方團體聯盟共同推動的。
06.04.99 星期五
丹佛，科羅拉多州為什麼環保人士要關心美國城市的命運呢？大部分的都市計畫專家們，的確認為環保團體不關心城市規劃，或是有色族群中嚴重的貧窮與資金缺乏等問題。但任何關心如何保留開放空間與動植物棲息地或減低氣候變遷威脅的環保人士都應該關心， 因為如果我們不阻止城市中空間與綠地的流失，這個問題就會蔓延的市郊，而且這個現象已經發生了。過去幾年來，我發現許多環保人士已經注意到其中的關聯。
昨日我以一個運輸專家的身份，參加丹佛市長Wellington Webb所召集會議。與會人員將準備一份城市與大都會議程的資料，提供即將舉行的總統大選各候選人參考。Webb也將被指定為下禮拜全美市長會議的主席。與會專家似乎一致認為城市在許多方面正在復甦當中 ─ 逐漸成為符合需求與令人振奮的居住地、娛樂中心，以及發展商業的地方。由去年十一月通過的數百件空間開放與成長的公民複決案，以及州政府層級重視這些問題的程度，可以看出城市的可居住性與住家分散程度等，也是公眾所關注的問題。這是好消息。
雖然資料顯示城市的犯罪率降低了，而且降低的速度比市郊快。也有證據顯示許多大城市的市長正在改變他們的教育體系。但是在市郊聚集人口與工作機會成長的速度，仍比市中心快得多。我們停止走回頭路，但城市仍在失去競爭力。
與會專家討論了許多策略，從都會區的土地利用與運輸，建立城市資產以增加都市競爭力，到社區改善計畫。其中我最有興趣的討論是如何規劃展現這些議題，使候選人覺得這些議題很重要而達到我們的訴求；也就是說跳脫我們對城市內部依賴性的觀念，而討論城市在都會居民的生活品質上理應扮演的角色，同時強調這些創新的概念，大都出自我們國家的市長們。
(醒著的Clara)
今日我要到Milwaukee參加另一個會議。 這次是「新都市大會」的年度集會。這是一個由建築師、規劃者與發展者所組成，致力於規劃與設計以加強都市可居與持久性的團體。這些人試圖設計出能減少駕駛需要、減少不可再生資源的使用，以及營造社區感的地方。他們已經成為這場抵抗城市問題蔓延戰役的主要盟友，且成功的擄獲媒體對這個問題的注意與興趣。
但首先我想我會打電話回家。做為一個十五個月大的雙胞胎 Cole與Clara的父親，我並不喜歡總是在外奔波。但他們剛好大到足以握住電話說嗨跟哈囉。我必須要停筆去打電話啦!! 謝謝您花時間閱讀。
(Cole在小睡)
原文與圖片詳見：http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/
week/dittmar060499.stm
版權歸屬 Earth Day Network，環境信託協會 （徐怡德 譯，李玲玲審校）
全文詳見：http://news.ngo.org.tw/issue/sustain/
sustain-00052601.htm |
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Hank Dittmar directs the Transportation and Quality of Life Campaign of the Surface Transportation Policy Project, a coalition of environmental and community groups working to reform transportation policy
Friday, 06.04.99
DENVER, Colo. Why should environmentalists care about the fate of America's cities? Indeed, most urban policy experts assume that the environmental community doesn't care about urban policy, or such problems as concentrated poverty and disinvestment in communities of color. But any environmentalist concerned with preservation of open space and habitat or with reduction of the threat of global climate change should care, because if we don't stop the hemorrhage from our cities and now our inner suburbs we won't stop sprawl. Over the years I've found that many environmentalists do make these connections.
I spent yesterday as the transportation person at a gathering convened by Denver Mayor Wellington Webb to develop an urban/metropolitan agenda for consideration by the candidates in the upcoming presidential election. Webb will be installed next week as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. There seemed to be consensus among the assembled experts that cities were on the rebound in many ways -- as desirable and exciting places to live, as entertainment centers, and as places for business to locate. Issues of livability and sprawl have hit the public's radar screen as well, as evidenced by their prominence at the state level and by the passage of hundreds of open space and growth referenda last November. This was good news.
The data shows that crime is down in our cities, and that the drop is steeper than in the suburbs. Evidence shows that many big city mayors are turning their education systems around as well. But in the aggregate, populations and jobs in suburbs are still growing much faster than in central cities. We have stopped going backward, but cities are still losing the race.
The group discussed a range of strategies from transportation and land use efforts at the metropolitan level, to strategies to enhance metropolitan competitiveness by building on urban assets, to neighborhood improvement plans. Perhaps the most interesting discussion for me was the talk about how to frame these issues so that they were important and appealing to the candidates, and this meant moving away from a notion of dependency for the inner cities to a discussion of the city's role in the quality of life of everybody in the metro area, and to a recognition that much innovative thinking is coming from our nation's mayors.
Clara, wide awake.
Today I'm off to Milwaukee for yet another meeting. This time its the annual gathering of the Congress for New Urbanism, a group of architects, planners and developers dedicated to planning and design which enhances both livability and sustainability. These folks try to design places which reduce the need to drive, reduce the use of nonrenewable resources, and recreate a sense of community. They have been key allies in the battle against sprawl and have succeeded in capturing media attention and interest in the issue.
But first I think I'll call home. As the father of 15-month-old twins named Cole and Clara, I don't like to be on the road. But they've just gotten old enough to say hi and hold the phone. To make the call I'll have to sign off now. Thanks for reading.
Cole, kid napping. |
