July 2, 2008

Blaming it on the Burbs

Skyrocketing gas prices, rising food costs, house foreclosures, unemployment…it’s hard to find a silver lining these days, and we are all eager to point fingers at somebody, including the “affluent suburbanites and their cars” who, as Lynne Varner further points out, are stereotypically “gas guzzlers commuting to McMansions,” which, not coincidentally, are the most recent fodder of public debate. 

The suburbs aren’t dead. They’re more vibrant than ever. Technology has pushed the work-at home concept and large employers such as Microsoft have turned the burbs into employment centers. City dwellers aren’t the only ones interested in doing errands on foot. Planning for suburban communities includes retail, employment and entertainment options that operate as mini-Seattles.

More creativity, less blame, can give us four-day work weeks, telecommutes, and a viable school option across the street rather than across town.

In Puget Sound, we are blessed with employers that make more efficient work options feasible for many of us, wherever we live. Nearly 250 area employers made the most recent (2006) EPA national list of Best Workplaces for Commuters including Microsoft, which allows telecommuting, flexible work hours, and now offers its Connector bus service, Amgen, which offers incentives to employees for leaving the car at home, and more. With its high tech backbone, Seattle certainly has the infrastructure and the determination to be an example for the rest of the country.

So, which is the right way to live? I can’t tell you, just as you can’t tell me. However, I can say that wherever you live, there are choices in how you decide to live that can make it right for all of us:

Plant a garden.
Compost.
Recycle.
Carpool.
Ride a bike.
Use public transit.
Telecommute.
Modify your work week.
Consolidate errands.
Turn off a light.
Add a timer.
Take a shorter shower.
Reuse grocery bags.
Adopt a dog.
Eat leftovers.
Call your mother.