Target: Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Goal: Explore possibilities of auto-free neighborhoods to benefit transportation, communities, and environment.
Transportation is the biggest driver of global warming pollutants on the planet. The U.S. love affair with ever-bigger autos in particular has been a severe detriment to efforts at curbing climate change. A rising type of neighborhood, however, could not only transform the way Americans interact with each other but also chart a new course forward to a cleaner and healthier world.
Heralded as a hallmark of low-carbon living, car-free communities are cropping up in more community spaces. One recent addition, a Phoenix neighborhood called Culdesac, houses dozens of residents, with aspirations of up to 1,000 members. The community is notable for its decided lack of auto traffic in favor of foot traffic. Residents have no need for automobiles because important fixtures like grocery stores, restaurants, and fitness centers fit right alongside attractive homes. Ample walkways and a design encouraging social engagement are also integral to the 17-acre space. Other options for transportation include electric scooters, electric bicycles, and access to a nearby rail service as well as ride-sharing services. Residents of these communities report feeling happier and less stressed.
While such areas are more commonplace in Europe, they have not gotten the same degree of traction in America. Sign the petition below to encourage stronger investment in a movement that could improve quality of life for people and for the environment as a whole.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary Buttigieg,
Zoning laws, cost roadblocks, and resistance to change have hindered the growth of car-free neighborhoods and low-carbon living. Yet these neighborhoods consistently demonstrate their immense potential where they do arise. Residents report high rates of satisfaction and a closer sense of community. Transportation is streamlined and simplified. And perhaps most importantly for the future, these neighborhoods leave a much lower carbon footprint as residents are less reliant on traditional modes of transportation.
This potential should be explored, and it could pay great dividends in America’s fight against climate change. Please promote and invest in a new approach that may quite literally pave the road to a better future.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here}
Photo Credit: Gsgeorge
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