October 22, 2010

By: Jacqueline T. from New Orleans, LA
Comments: 13

Posted By: Jacqueline Taylor
On: 5/22/2008 12:49:30 PM

We've witnessed the change that the price of oil per barrel has made upon our lives in the short run. We make fewer unnecessary trips, scrimp on dinners, vacations, fancy coffees, etc. What impact will it have on the design of urban sprawl? Will the suburbs have a great migration back to the cities for rail and bus transportation? Will there be a great re-design of major cities? Jacqueline Taylor, New Orleans, LA.

Posted By: Daarina Abdus-Samad
On: 5/23/2008 11:25:48 PM

Hi Jacqueline, Here in Southern California where everyone has two cars, the freeways are less traveled as we find alternative ways to get around. In my second grade class the students are discussing alternative forms of fuel and imaginative new ways to get from one place to another. New design ideas will have to come into play as prices go up. Daarina Pasadena CA

Posted By: Aisha Madhi
On: 5/26/2008 11:56:19 PM

Jacqueline, you are right! With the gas prices rising to unprecedented levels, I find that most people are reconsidering modes of travel and being far more critical in determining how often/where they will get their resources. Last year, I relocated closer from the city limits of Philadelphia to a neighborhood closer to the downtown district. In doing so, my family has been able to go from two cars to one and I am now able to meet most of my needs using public transportation. Another plus of reducing urban sprawl is that many areas that have served as a habitat for various species will not be at risk of being sacrificed to build the next Wal-Mart. In Philadelphia, like many other major cities, the car share program is also thriving, which enables people to use pay a small amount for car access on an occasional basis. From a design perspective, the car share program impacts the city's allocated space for residential parking in that parking spaces are now being designated for the car-share vehicles in densely populated areas. To my knowledge there has not been much of public complaint about this, most likely because in the long run it cuts down on the number of cars on the streets. Aisha, Philadelphia

Posted By: Jeri Schmenk
On: 5/27/2008 8:28:11 AM

School districts are being hit hard with the costs rising. It seems to me as though (locally) the public is saying "run your schools like a business and don't ask us for more money". Our systems in Ohio rely heavily on property taxes to pay for public education. With costs rising so dramatically and so quickly (but property values decreasing) redesign of education is inevitable but where do we start? We've had a lot of building outside the city and so the idea of "sprawl" is real even around smaller cities. Newly built school buildings are underutilized as people move from within city limits.

Posted By: Karen Thomas
On: 5/27/2008 8:28:33 PM

I just heard today that gasoline in the UK sells for the equivalent of $9 a gallon! Truck drivers blockaded major roadways to protest. But, ulimately, this is a huge wake-up call to humanity. Designing new ways to move people and goods around has been overlooked, especially in the US where the car is king. In Europe, railways have served this purpose much better, but still the rising cost of fuels in general is affecting everyone worldwide. For now, buying locally, walking, biking, public transport, and other belt-tightening measures may just help us learn how to live more ecologically healthy lifestyles.

Posted By: Erin Jacobs
On: 6/1/2008 8:05:37 PM

The cost of fuel is bound to have an impact of the cost of educating each child. I'm from a large district where transporting students to and from school has become a burden and trade offs are already being made. Let's hope that the frustration with rising fuel costs is the catalyst for sustainable and more efficient power.

Posted By: Cynthia Eaton
On: 6/2/2008 1:11:29 AM

Vanity Fair, May 2008, has a feature article on architect William McDonough-" a prophet of the sustainablity and clean-technology movement" which inspires hope for the future with his "Cradle to Cradle" design manifesto and movement to reverse the Industrial Revolution's system of manufacturing, consuming, and junk heaping. According to McDonough, "If everybody used as many resources as the average American, we would require six planets." The cost of fuel might be the tipping point for a willingness to shift paradigms of sustainability. McDonough is redesigning design!! Recommended reading for new possibilities that takes one beyond the fear factor of the moment!