Citation

Geller AL. Am. J. Public Health 2003; 93(9): 1410-1415.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.93.9.1410

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

For many, the great American Dream is associated with large, single-family homes, lots of land, and a feeling of independence. Now, public health and urban planning professionals claim this vision has gone too far. They blame a phenomenon called sprawl for a host of problems, from obesity and traffic injuries to environmental destruction. A movement called Smart Growth is challenging the way we build, work, and live, and is encouraging us to look at communities not only as places to live but as vehicles to promote health and well-being.... Smart Growth strives to protect farmland and open space, revitalize neighborhoods, and provide more transportation choices. Smart Growth encourages reinvestment in existing communities, more efficient use of existing infrastructure, and transportation choices. It promotes compact development and the creation of mixed-use communities that integrate a range of housing and commercial services and serve a variety of income levels. However, a central theme in the Smart Growth movement is that of choice. Advocates stress that well-designed communities offer variety in housing, transportation, employment, and recreation. Within public health, a parallel movement called Active Living emphasizes such elements as bicycle- and pedestrian-oriented design, traffic calming, mixed-use development, and "safe routes to school" programs that allow residents to integrate physical activity such as walking and bicycling into their daily lives.

Language: en