The American Dream is in the suburbs

It's time to re-visit an organization I posted about several months ago.  Save Our Suburbs (SOS) is a group from Australia with branches in several cities and states that are engaged in the same issues we are.  Please take a moment to look at their site and read their White Papers on Green House Gases, overcrowding, and more.

Whatever environmental problem we face, the steamroller planning that is bringing us, all over the world, to a confined, cookie cutter future, can be combated in other ways that are humane and more effective than the smart growth greenies are pushing now.  And for those who don't like to see chickens penned up and think it is more humane to allow them to range free, we can do the same humans!

The link for SOS is in my Blog list on the right, or Click Here for instant access.

Save Our Suburbs (NSW)

- for Sustainable Living

Save Our Suburbs (NSW) Inc is a non-profit & non-aligned group of residents, opposing forced rezoning and over-development of Sydney’s suburbs. We promote sustainable living to protect our planet.

Sydney’s beleaguered residents have been fighting an endless string of localised battles against increased density developments ("urban consolidation"). SOS supports residents in their struggle to save our city from overcrowding, traffic congestion, pollution and loss of bushland and heritage resulting from ill-considered planning impositions. The organisation is active in endeavouring to persuade the State Government to effect beneficial changes to planning policies.

If we want to effectively protect the environment and heritage of our suburbs, we need to take the fight beyond our local areas into the State Government arena. This can only be achieved by organised and united residents. Save Our Suburbs (NSW) Inc has been formed for this very purpose. To start, click on our Key Ideas.

Here's a quick excerpt from an article posted on SOS by Joel Kotkin (Forbes, Newgeography) about 
Australia.  Funny how the Australian Dream looks just like the American Dream and the threats to it are just the same too.  Lake Oswego's true assets are not in it's high-density town centers but in its unparalleled answer to the American Dream.  
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Fortunately, there is no reason for any of Australia's great cities, including Sydney, to fall far behind. Blessed by nature and its history of late development, Australia still has plenty of room to grow. It possesses ample raw materials, a high standard of education and a superb quality of life. You don't have to spend millions selling yourself as hip and cool to get newcomers to settle here.

What is needed instead is an appreciation that the greatest asset of Australian cities -- including Melbourne and Sydney -- lies in the promise of the Australian dream of a single family house and a backyard. Although often anathema to planners, cultural meisters and policy intellectuals, this is the mundane prospect that will attract talent and capital from congested China, India and Europe to this still very lucky country.