SOC 1101 Lecture Notes - Peak Oil, Alternative Energy, New Urbanism
Document Summary
After couple in suburbs buy a house + have child, couple in purchasing phase. Us invested in living arrangements that have no future. Cheap oil party should end within our lifetime. Dream: alternative to city life, like country living for everybody. By mid-19th century, industrial city becomes bad place. Americans began to realize cities weren"t great places to live. First suburbs in 19th century allowed upper- middle class to get away from vulgar culture of cities. Wanted to target post-wwii soldiers coming home, so that they didn"t have to live in the city. Only part of the world where middle-class workers could own their own homes. Resulted that american cities and towns are demolished. Challenge facing policy makers was how to make things accessible for suburbanites. Tore out railcars to run gm cars with. People drive considerable distances in outer suburban areas. Suburbs wouldn"t exist if it wasn"t for cheap oil.
