Two Women, Two Coasts, One Idea
Rhonda and I have gotten to talking, and it turns out that despite living on opposite sides of the country, our neighborhoods have a lot in common. She lives in the Bayview area of San Francisco, CA and I’m living in Edgewood, just east of downtown in Atlanta, GA.
We thought it would make for a cool project to talk about the ups and downs of trying to live sustainably in our different cities. Rhonda is going to talk about Bayview later on this week, but let me introduce you to Edgewood and talk a little bit about what we’re trying to do with this project.- » See also: Atlanta Museum Offers Free IMAX Ticket for Recycling Your Cell Phone
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Edgewood is walkable to a train station, and thanks to some development a couple of years before I moved in I can also walk to a grocery store, restaurants, and shops. There are more shops, bars, and restaurants, including a natural foods co-op, within easy biking distance, which can make it pretty easy to go days without having to hop in the car.
Both of our neighborhoods are what you might call “transitional.” When I moved to Edgewood almost four years ago, it wasn’t the safest area in Atlanta, but it was by no means the most dangerous either. It felt like things were getting safer and safer until the recession hit. Now, crime is on the rise, especially burglaries and dog fighting. Like I touched on in Thoughts About Walkability, crime makes walkability about more than just distance. I get a bit nervous walking alone and try not to be alone even on my bike at night if possible.
Getting around without a car definitely feels like the biggest challenge to sustainable living in Atlanta. My neighborhood and Atlanta in general have made some great strides in being more environmentally friendly. From small things like a local brewery’s rainwater beer or my neighborhood’s new community garden to larger initiatives like the city-wide plan to reduce its municipal carbon footprint, it feels like Atlanta has come a long way.
The idea here is to see what our neighborhoods have in common - both the benefits and the pitfalls - and maybe pick up some tips and ideas that we can apply in our day to day. I’m looking forward to taking a closer look at sustainable living in my city and in Bayview!
Image Credits:
Remixed image using Creative Commons photos from: m.john16 and paytonc
