[totheskies]

We spend a lot of time on this forum arguing about which city is better, and often lose sight of the things we have in common.

What are you doing in your everyday world to encourage the urban lifestyle? Not just how you live, but how you present that life to others. For example, I use Metro to get to my work and have encouraged my co-workers to try it. I also point out neat developments around inner city Houston, and have gotten a few people interested in moving to the Heights (they currently live in Cypress, a far-flung suburb area).

How are you helping the cause????

[fflint]

I don't promote my "urban lifestyle" to other people like some cultist trolling for converts. I am always happy to answer questions my family or acquaintances should have about life in the city, but I don't push people to live like I do. That seems obnoxious.

[mhays]

I don't push people either. But I sure like telling people how nice it is to live Downtown and without a car.

[JMancuso]

the heights is a cool area. lot's of hippies, stray cats and good mexican food. but the houses are expensive. :(

[Buckeye Native 001]

I'm a self-loathing suburbanite.

Where's 103?

[IdahoMountainBoy]

I concur with what's been said in that imposing an urban lifestyle on others is fruitless...

Personally, I commute to school and work every day by light rail... Additionally, I use candles at night to read as oppose to lights more for preference than in consideration of the environment...

[MayDay]

I don't go overboard but when I hear co-workers complain about their commute, I agree with them and say "yeah, it took me 10 minutes instead of the usual 5 to 7." Sure I'm being a little bratty but I just look at it as pointing out the upside to living in the city (or at least closer than a far-flung ex-urb). If they ask me about my neighborhood, I just tell it like it is (since it's a trendy/up-and-coming area, people ask occasionally) - in their case, they may pay a once-in-a-blue-moon visit to the great bars and restaurants whereas I walk to them usually once a week. If I overhear co-workers (or acquaintances) complain about something and say something inaccurate about the city or development, I'll politely correct them.

There's definitely a balance between being matter-of-fact and obnoxious "proselytizing". It's like the saying "you'll attract more flies with honey than vinegar". :yes:

[mhays]

I'm a self-loathing suburbanite.

Where's 103?

At Applebees.

[SuburbanNation]

best thing i see...is to interest people in the city rather than "pushing" or "forcing" any viewpoint.

i think us urban midwesterners feel more like we are on the "front lines" down in the trenches and feel more obligated to do something. i recognize the mid sized urban center as a vital but partially lost keystone in urban america.

[Nowhereman1280]

I kill NIMBYs...




No, I don't own a car and live in an extremely dense neighborhood. I gently promote the Urban way of life to people when the topic comes up. I also tell them about the global trend of vertical living and about how hot that trend is in Chicago right now.

[volguus zildrohar]

I work, pay my taxes, take my cigarette outside and shut the fuck up.

[J. Will]

I live downtown and don't own a car. Funny thing is, despite the incredible ease at which one can get around this city without a car (esp. compared to other places), pretty much everyone else I know does own a car. Even those who live downtown.

That said, I'm not some uber-urban type who's frequented a different local coffee shop every night of the week. Most days I just come home and watch t.v., and maybe go to the gym. Not much difference than when I lived in the burbs, other than how I get around.

[ctman987]

Currently a full time student in Riverdale, Bronx, NY and have a part time job on the upper east side of Manhattan. I always use the subway and the bus to get to work and to basically go anywhere from Target in the Bronx to SoHo to Downtown Brooklyn.

[BnaBreaker]

I basically concur with what everyone has said. It is counter-productive to try and push an urban way of life on people. But I do try to politely inform anyone who is willing to listen about the major upside.

[Jasonhouse]

I don't promote my "urban lifestyle" to other people like some cultist trolling for converts. I am always happy to answer questions my family or acquaintances should have about life in the city, but I don't push people to live like I do. That seems obnoxious.
As someone who runs this forum, you already do more than 99% of the people in the world for urbanism...


Oh, and I don't push so much for urbanism, so much as I push to stop subsidizing sprawl. I agree that folks should have a choice, but their choice should reflect the true cost of doing so.

[Chicago3rd]

I basically concur with what everyone has said. It is counter-productive to try and push an urban way of life on people. But I do try to politely inform anyone who is willing to listen about the major upside.

Agreed. Besides it is already a wasteland out in the burbs so we cannot change that. But we can stand up and stop the suburbanization of the city.

[POLA]

i moved to san francisco;)

[Boris2k7]

I get up on my f***ing soapbox and yell down all the naysayers. I don't care if you are my neighbour, my friends, or my family, I'm going to tell you why your way of life isn't sustainable, what I think is better, and how I would do things differently (including cutting out all the things that subsidize your lifestyle and make your automobile-oriented suburban lifestyle even remotely feasible). I don't give in to bullshit like "personal preference" or "lifestyle choices." There's more important things in this world than your petty sense of entitlement. You might hate me now, let's see how it all pans out in 10 or 20 years.

It really makes no difference whether or not I yell at people, they've made their decision and nothing is going to make them change short of an utter catastrophe. At least I get the satisfaction of watching them writhe about as the price of gas goes up and up. Watching people froth at the mouth at the sounds of increased property taxes, while the very infrastructure that supports them starts to degrade, is nothing short of amusing.

On the ground, I still live with the parents and am another self-loathing suburbanite. That said, I cast aside my car and take public transit, not only because it is less expensive than owning a car, but also because I believe in the system and want to show people that yes, it does work and it is a realistic option for travel.

Even when I do get up on the soapbox, it is usually after being provoked quite a bit. People just won't take criticism of the way that THEY have CHOSEN to live their lives, even if it's true. So when I say, for example, that progress is being made in regards to the east end of downtown Calgary, but that practices such as redlining and a lack of infrastructure funding have been a problem, some smartass usually comes up with the conclusion that "oh, it's because of all the damn bums in the area. OF COURSE nobody would want to live there, why would the banks want to finance that?" Things usually degrade from that point, as the person has already made their mind up that an urban lifestyle = being around bums = bad and therefore sprawlburbs = good.

They come throwing rocks, I bring my sledgehammer.

EDIT: Another tactic that has worked for me is to bring people to places that I like, such as innercity cafes, and take the chance to show the area around and explain a bit of what is going on. It's a bit of work still. I most often get the "those condos and townhouses are great when you are only single or a couple, but once you have kids..." At that point I usually ask how many kids... 1, 2... the assumed 3-4 even though the household average is only around 1.3 and the population is aging? Even so, showing people the goods seems to be the best at convincing them. Even better, show them the area, and time it so that there is some kind of festival or event nearby...

[Shawn]

I've converted my 24 y/o brother to go almost carless once he realized how much less money I spend per month than he does on account of my not having any car insurance/gas/maintenance/GAS bills. He moved from Auburndale in Newton to Coolidge Corner in Brooklyn and takes the Green Line into Back Bay, Boston every day. But I don't bother with anyone else.

And I'm contributing by living in Tokyo.

[Boris2k7]

I wish I could contribute by living in Tokyo... ;_;

[Don B.]

There's a "fight for urbanity?" I have to help? Who knew? :D

Let's see...took mass transit in K.C. (bus) all the time from about 14 to 18 and then from 22 to about 24 years old.

In Phoenix, I've actually ridden some of the busses here as well, which is more than most suburbanites can say.

When I travel to other cities, we almost always use mass transit.

I drive a reasonably fuel efficient car (25 to 30 mpg). When I was working, mass transit was out of the question because I traveled all over the Phoenix metro area to meet clients in their homes, offices, etc.

I voted for every mass transit tax increase Phoenix has ever had on the ballot.

I photograph and promote downtowns all over the world in my travels via my website:

www.aroundphoenix.com

I promote urban living to anyone who will listen, even though I cannot live that live myself at this stage, mostly because Phoenix's "urban living" is more expensive than any suburb; and because my partner is a suburbanophile and won't consider living "in the city" with what he considers the dregs of society.

--don

[totheskies]

LOL, the strong senntiments are just to encite the forum... of course I don't "push" people into it. But like some others have said, I just casually pointed out that I got a measurable discount on my car insurance b/c I don't commute with it, and that got some people interested in the bus. My point on the forum is that we talk alot, but I was just curious to see if anyone takes some definitive action.

I'm TOTALLY for the choice to live where and how you want. But the tool that we have is education. Once someone has been exposed and informed, then the choice is up to them.