Is your neighborhood pedestrian-friendly? Or do you fear for your life every time you go for a walk or bike ride? Find out why cities are on a quest to become more walkable.

You’ve heard it said before, “Location is everything.” This use to be the mantra of businesses, but in a time of rapidly growing cities, it’s becoming the rallying cry of individuals and families as well. Rather than being concerned about proximity to the interstate and amount of free parking, people are more focused on how pedestrian-friendly a community is. When it’s easy to walk, bike or take public transit wherever you need to go, living greener becomes that much more convenient. As the economic and environmental benefits of urban density become more apparent, neighborhoods are doing all they can to become more walkable.

What’s a Walkable Neighborhood?

There are many different factors that affect the walkability of a community. Most urban planners agree that a combination of most of the below characteristics is vital:

• A center: Walkable neighborhoods have a center, whether it’s a main street or a public space.
• People: Enough people for businesses to flourish and for public transit to run frequently.
• Mixed income, mixed use: Affordable housing located near businesses.
• Parks and public space: Plenty of public places to gather and play.
• Pedestrian design: Buildings are close to the street, parking lots are relegated to the back.
• Schools and workplaces: Close enough that most residents can walk from their homes.
• Complete streets: Streets designed for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit.

Sadly, it’s become increasingly hard to find neighborhoods, never mind entire cities, that live up to these requirements. The good news is, that’s changing as developers and city governments realize the benefits of walkability.

Benefits of a Walkable Neighborhood

• Increased property values: when walkability goes up, traffic noise, traffic speeds, and vehicle-generated air pollution go down. Over time, this has a positive impact on property values because it creates a place people want to live and raise their families.
• It’s a tourist magnet: When friends come to town, you know where we always take them? The Old Town portion of our community. Why? Because we can easily walk from shop to restaurant to music venue without the hassle of parking. It’s also where all of our favorite locally-owned businesses are located. Which brings us to…
• It’s good for the local economy: WalkBoston’s Good Walking is Good Business brochure provides data and statistics on the important connection between walkability and economic prosperity. The numbers are astounding and prove this is a wise investment. Dollar for dollar, the returns of a walkable neighborhood are impressive, from more customers to healthier, more productive employees.
• It’s safer and healthier: less motorized vehicle traffic and proper infrastructure makes people more willing to utilize alternative transportation. They’re also more likely to venture outside, walk or run down the sidewalks, getting to know neighbors and business owners along the way.

Interested in more benefits? Check out this list from America Walks.

So, How Walkable is Your Neighborhood?

Walk Score is an amazing online platforms that allows you to see how pedestrian-friendly neighborhood is with just a few clicks. If you’re thinking about relocating, make this essential step a part of your real estate search.

Related on Ecosalon:

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Take A Better Walk With Street-Rating Mobile Apps

Walking Meditation

Image: faunng’s photo

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This is third post in our series on the Sharing Economy. Part One explained how sharing services can help you save money. Part Two highlighted ways collaborative consumption can reduce waste and our impact on the planet. Today’s installment will demonstrate how participation in the sharing economy can boost local economies and rebuild important community ties.

The sharing economy is more than swapping clothes or finding a cheap place to stay on vacation. While saving money and reducing waste are pleasant by-products of a sharing lifestyle, they’re not the end goal. The most exciting, promising, and truly revolutionary thing about moving from a “that’s mine” culture to a “this is ours” mentality is a refocusing of our attention on what’s really important: each other.

Embracing collaborative consumption, especially peer-to-peer sharing, requires us to acknowledge the wants, needs, talents, and resources of those around us. Consumerism teaches us that everyone is competition. We compare ourselves to our peers, using ownership of material possessions as a measuring stick of self-worth. That kind of judgement won’t last in the sharing economy.

When liberated from the burden of ownership, we gain access to knowledge and resources, become more active citizens, and are supported by a network of friends and neighbors who collaborate to solve problems. Simply put, when people share, communities become stronger. Here’s how:

1. Restores Relationships

Whether it’s made up of neighbors on a cul-de-sac, members of a church, or far flung friends on a social networking site, community is what makes sharing economy possible. In fact, some have even suggested calling it “the relationship economy.” Unfortunately, we’ve become very isolated as a society. Sure, we talk with coworkers and hang out with friends. But when’s the last time you greeted a passerby or borrowed a cup of sugar from your neighbor? We’ve become withdrawn, reluctant to share our thoughts and feelings, never mind our precious possessions. But in order to swap, barter, or rent, we must initiate contact, negotiate terms, and sometimes, go out of our way for our fellow humans. This exercises our relationship muscle, and helps us reconnect with those we previously ignored.

2. Creates Stability

Whether it’s debt, unemployment, illness, or family issues, our communities are full of unstable families, just barely making it from day to day. When times our tough, collaborative consumption reminds us to utilize the wealth we have, and share it with others. Lending libraries, food swaps, ride sharing, nanny sharing, time banks and community supported agriculture allow those with limited liquid assets to access tools, food, transportation, child care, and perhaps even work with dignity. These sharing services require a small investment on the part of each member so that all can reap a big reward. Participants realize they are not alone, and that sharing is a shortcut to accessing what they need.

Generates Solidarity

When people know and share with each other, they become unified. Instead of fearful isolation, sharing communities live with openness, generosity, and solidarity. Once we remember how awesome it is to be a part of each others’ lives, we’re more willing to become involved in other aspects of our communities as well. Being part of a community means sharing responsibility as well as rewards. The sharing economy encourages us to crowdsource solutions to community-wide problems as well as our own. All over the world, citizens are reengaging with their governments, looking for ways to get involved in the planning of budgets, support of local business, and development of neighborhoods. Sharing forces us to realize our similarities, and helps organize our efforts to realize common goals.

Image: pushthisbutton

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