http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/12/tilting-at-windmills-in-minnesota/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/12/tilting-at-windmills-in-minnesota/comment-page-1/#comment-154561 Lucy Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:50:28 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=90761#comment-154561 First, the Blue Zones project provides information on how to improve efforts to build better places that get used. It's not wasted effort just because it does not reach all its goals in one step. Second, yes, we know that building and rebuilding healthy communities will take money and time. So what? Twenty years from now, we can either have many more healthy places or we can still be whining that it's hard to make changes. BTW, it will not take 50 years to make American cities safe for people as well as cars; realistic estimates are in the 10-15 year range. First, the Blue Zones project provides information on how to improve efforts to build better places that get used. It’s not wasted effort just because it does not reach all its goals in one step.
Second, yes, we know that building and rebuilding healthy communities will take money and time. So what?
Twenty years from now, we can either have many more healthy places or we can still be whining that it’s hard to make changes.
BTW, it will not take 50 years to make American cities safe for people as well as cars; realistic estimates are in the 10-15 year range.

]]> http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/12/tilting-at-windmills-in-minnesota/comment-page-1/#comment-154121 Jeff Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:47:03 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=90761#comment-154121 Physical health is another one of many facets of modern life which, for one reason or another, the general public seems to completely miss the strong connection with infrastructure. It reminds me of a short conversation I had with an individual at a Mothers Against Drunk Driving pic-nic which I happened upon while walking through a park. When I asked what type of organization was hosting the pic-nic, and I was informed that it was an anti-drunk driving advocacy group, I responded that I, too, am for improved public transport and otherwise human-friendly infrastructure. The woman just stared at me as if I had two heads. Physical health is another one of many facets of modern life which, for one reason or another, the general public seems to completely miss the strong connection with infrastructure. It reminds me of a short conversation I had with an individual at a Mothers Against Drunk Driving pic-nic which I happened upon while walking through a park. When I asked what type of organization was hosting the pic-nic, and I was informed that it was an anti-drunk driving advocacy group, I responded that I, too, am for improved public transport and otherwise human-friendly infrastructure. The woman just stared at me as if I had two heads.

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