vision2020
Re: Sustainable Community?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Brown" <gregb@alaskapacific.edu>
To: <vision2020@moscow.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2000 1:23 AM
Subject: Sustainable Community?
> Visionaries,
>
> Is Moscow a "sustainable community"?
> Pullman? Compare your community characteristics
> with the criteria below.
>
>
> Characteristics of Sustainable Communities
> (Adapted from Beatley and Manning,
> "The Ecology of Place", 1997)
>
> 1) Compact Urban "footprint"
> . minimal conversion of natural and open lands
Moscow is isolated, and is a "footprint" in Loess covered flood basalts
there are many open lands around Moscow, all of them 'wheat fields'.
> 2) Restorative and regenerative
> . degraded and blighted areas are reversed/healed
Perhaps some 'infilling needs to be addressed. Fort Russell is being
upgraded
> 3) Focused on high quality of life
> . livable, vibrant, and active communities offer safety, adequate and
> affordable shelter, health care, essential services, humane and
> stimulating work environments.
Moscow is now over built. The apartment vacancies are considerable.
There are many vacant new homes ready for families that do not exist yet. We
have some of the best health care available. Wages are below regional norms
because of the available work force. Too many people for so few jobs.
> 4) Integrative and holistic-problems viewed comprehensively
> . avoids quick fixes that address only symptoms
Crisis managment is well in place, but so are other places and forms of
government run the same way. Like other places and towns their are vested
and special interests that see to making hay for themselves while the sun
shines. Americans are not good planners.
> 5) "Place" Matters
> . topography and natural setting, sense of history and character,
> rituals and events build and strengthen social fabric in community
For the indigenous population this is the emotion. For the annual visitors
many grow an affection for Moscow but employment opportunities do not exist
for the graduating seniors and graduates so, they move on and out of the
area.
>
6 ) Promote Full-Cost of Public and Private Decisions
> . reflect consequences of economic incentives/disincentives and
> governmental action.
The reflection is business as usual for a few well intrenched few. They
have suffered through the good times and the bad. Competition is inelastic
in pricing of goods and services. Merchants here can pretty well do what
they want. They have no competion. Purchases made in Lewiston and Spokane
are made when things cannot be worked out locally.
> 7) Embodies New Ethical Posture
> . embraces land ethic, regional contextual, present and
> intergenerational equity.
The ethical posture was established when the first wagon train arrived here
in Moscow. It is that ethic now that is pretty much reflected throught the
region. It is an agrarian society with isolated pockets of inlightenment
U of Idaho). I would say that the ethics of the region are pretty much
kept in tact from generation to generation. Some move away only to return
after a visit to other venues. For those who stay they are polorized into
one pod of 'political peas' or another and life moves on.
Finally: Pullman has many of these similar qualities but the wages are more
in keeping with the nation. Many who work in Pullman now live in Moscow.
This affords them the best of two worlds. Good for them!
With all due respect;
Wolfgang M. Schwartzenweintraub
>
> --
> Greg Brown (gregb@alaskapacific.edu)
> Associate Professor
> Environmental Science Department
> Alaska Pacific University
> (907) 564-8267
> http://polar.alaskapacific.edu/gregb
>
>
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