Live Small and Prosper: PT 3 London - The Healthier City

[“We are raising the future generation of hospital patients,” he said, referring to alarming childhood obesity trends. “We need to turn our cities into exercise machines.” Avi Friedman, architect and urban thinker, June 2, The Londoner]

I think the culture of big will slow London’s progress toward becoming a healthier city, in more ways than one.
As fuel prices rise, our spread-out city, our mega-malls, our mega-car-lifestyle (“A lifestyle where cars are used to get absolutely everywhere” Friedman) will hang around London’s waist like a dead weight, just as the extra 15 pounds I’ve added since hanging up my long-distance sneakers in 2007 keep me from hopping off my front steps and stepping right into a half- or full-marathon program today.

When Friedman addressed planners, politicians and students at the Coldstream Community Centre in Middlesex Centre in May, he said that “municipalities need to become more walkable,” that neighbouring municipalities need to be logically linked via bike paths “to create healthy, alternative transportation networks.” Green spaces and “beautiful parks in every nook and cranny” were rated highly as well.

What Friedman says is true. Alternative transportation corridors need to be expanded in London to prevent future health care problems and costs.

However, in my mind, the culture of big has extended its grip to shape more than our short-sighted transportation choices and affect more than related health care costs. It affects just about every aspect of our lives.

Our Big Basics include...

Food - mega-agricultural systems and promotion industries affect most components of our food supply. Poor food choices cause heavier weights as well

Clothing - the mega-fashion and apparel (and promotion) industries have encouraged many to grow walk-in closets to the size of dining rooms

Homes - developers have grown the sq.-footage of the average home over the years. Furnishings now cost $35,000 or more per house. Home owner debt is at a record high.

Our Big Wants include a growing thirst for the following, and more...

Transportation - “People now spend an average of five years of their lives driving and installing fridges and televisions in SUVs to enable a lifestyle where cars are used to get absolutely everywhere.” Avi Friedman


["Londoners once travelled to the Crystal Palace by electric tram": photo link]

Communication - connectivity devices abound with endless applications and real and imagined benefits

Recreation - opportunities abound. Entertainment sections of many local papers outweigh world, business and environmental news combined

In just about every aspect of our lives, the culture of big possesses a strong grip, but is also linked to dire consequences for present-day and future generations, and for our natural surroundings or environment, as CO2 emissions rise from excessive industrialization and contribute to global warming.

One might ask, “Are we eating ourselves to death? Are we entertaining ourselves into oblivion?”

Yes, quite possibly. At the very least, the culture of big in all its forms is not necessarily making us, our cities and surroundings any healthier. And it’s more of a progress-buster than 15 pounds of excessive weight around a waist.

What measures can a city take to grow healthier?

Let me think about that.

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Please click here to read PT 2 London - The Healthier City.

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