Earth Equity News

Toward Walkability - and Happiness. Commentary by Dan Burden, San Jose Mercury News, July 13, 2008. "Over the 12 years I've spent advocating for walkable communities in about 2,500 towns and cities throughout the world -- including 20 or so in the Bay Area -- I've found a disparity in the level of happiness that appears to have nothing to do with... income... A recent international study on happiness by researchers at Leicester University in England ranked the U.S. as only the 23rd happiest place in the world. Denmark is the happiest, according to the research. It's probably no coincidence that more than 20 years ago, Denmark set a vision to become one of the best places to walk anywhere. It took a long time to get there, but the Danes apparently are very happy with their results... Take a walk and test this out. Walk a street or corridor and look for ways to make it a better place, where people can get to know more people and are within walking distance of the things they love or need. For existing streets, ask community leaders to redesign the rights of way to support walking and biking -- perhaps widening sidewalks and planting trees so that pedestrians feel protected from fast traffic. For new development, encourage projects that are compact and walkable, with homes near stores and jobs, and streets that are comfortable to walk and bike. Connect streets so it's easy to get from one place to another without going out onto a multiple-lane road with fast traffic. My work involves walking with people to discover what often turn out to be incredible opportunities and successes. To walk and talk through what changes are needed on a street, in a corridor, or in a downtown, and then see those towns convert to better places to live is both gratifying and encouraging. So, too, is seeing the happiness created in these places."