“Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel.the picture of free untrammeled womanhood.”
Susan B. Anthony, 1896
For the past few years, I have been thinking of whether cities can survive if they depend almost solely on being car dependent. Cities that are doing well provide a lot of transportation options – San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. I think cities that survive will create greater opportunities for active transportation and those that don’t accommodate walkers, bikers, scooters, buses and subways will die when gas hits $5 to $10 a gallon. We just released a special edited issue of _Sustain: Journal of Environmental and Sustainability Issues_ that has a focus on urban active transportation – walking and biking as a means of creating better health, cleaner air and new economic opportunities.
I (John “Hans” Gilderbloom) and Wesley Meares of the University of Louisville, Center for Sustainable Urban neighborhoods ( http://sun.louisville.edu ) helped organized this special issue featuring leading thinkers of active transportation: Tom Vanderbilt, Dan Burden, Todd Litman, Christopher B. Leinberger, John Gilderbloom, Mary Lou Northern, Wesley Meares, and Brooke Driesse.
You may obtain a copy of the printed journal by writing to Russell Barnett at ( r.barnett@louisville.edu ) or an electronic copy by going to the website at: http://louisville.edu/kiesd/sustain-magazine/Sustain26.pdf
We are happy to give out a presentation to any groups and will pass out printed copies of the journal.
Please take a look at the table of contents and check out this special issue of _Sustain_:
Table of Contents:
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Pg. 2: “Living Large Driving Less: What makes a community livable? How about getting rid of cars?” (Tom Vanderbilt)
Pg. 5: “Building Place – the Key to Healthy, Sustainable Communities” (Dan Burden)
Pg. 10: “America Needs Complete Streets” (Dan Burden, Tom Litman)
Pg. 19: “The Role of “Alternative” Transportation Toward a New Vision of America” (Christopher Leinberger)
Pg. 23: “The Sustainable City and Biking: Implications for Health, Environment, and Economy” (John Gilderbloom, Brian O’Neill, Natasha DeJarnett, Zachary Kenitzer)
Pg. 31: “More Walkable Cities Benefit Everyone” (Wendy Landman)
Pg. 35: “WalkFirst in San Francisco” (Ana Validzic)
Pg. 42: “The Louisville Loop Legacy: A Healthy Green City” (Mary Lou Northern)
Pg. 46: “The Safe Routes to School Program: From Creation to Integration” (Brooke Driesse, Margo Pedroso)
John Gilderbloom
University of Louisville
Center for Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods
http://louisville.edu/upa/john-gilderbloom.html