Frieburg, Germany is already a leader in solar energy (despite its northern latitude and cloudy climate) as discussed in two earlier posts (one on Ecopolis and the other on Germany’s solar industry). In another example of sustainable development, The New York Times reported that Vauban, a suburb of the southern German city near the Swiss and French borders, has all but banned personal cars from its city limits. “Vauban’s streets are completely ‘car-free’ — except the main thoroughfare, where the tram to downtown Freiburg runs, and a few streets on one edge of the community. Car ownership is allowed, but there are only two places to park — large garages at the edge of the development, where a car-owner buys a space, for $40,000, along with a home.” The high cost and difficulty of parking a car has proven an effective disincentive to would-be car owners. “70 percent of Vauban’s families do not own cars, and 57 percent sold a car to move here.” In this day and age, these numbers are astonishing, especially when one considers the premium placed on car ownership in “Western” society.

Vauban was completed in 2006 and reflects “a growing trend in Europe, the United States and elsewhere to separate suburban life from auto use, as a component of a movement called ‘smart planning.’” This principle, also known as smart growth, represents a sustainable approach to development. New Urbanism, an architectural movement in the United States, aims to meld commercial and residential properties with a walkable neighborhood. All of these features have the goal of creating a seamless community which do not depend on vehicular transportation.

The New York Times’ Green Inc blog had one post relating to this story and a reference to an earlier posting about “The Comparatively Green Urban Jungle,” both of which touched upon the notion of suburbs as requiring more energy than cities and subsequently emitting more greenhouse gases. Whether cities are truly sustainable though remains questionable. Suburbs, with their larger plots of land and greater distances, present their own challenges. In order to achieve sustainable development, both locations must be self-sufficient, including producing food, energy, and handling waste.

- Eric Wilson

[image source: BikePortland.org]