The "new economy" is not just hyperbole
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 9:45AM In Alberta, we have been blessed with one of the most robust economies on the planet. For all our complaining, we should stop and be thankful for what we have relative to nearly every other jurisdiction in the world.
BUT, I do wonder if we are wasting all of this wealth without thinking about how it can be used to invest in more sustainable methods. We seem consumed with consumerism, and we satisfy our cravings in very shortsighted ways. Our obsession with wanting things could put our very sustainability at risk. If you’re struggling with what I mean, let’s use South Edmonton Common as an example. Someone has spent hundreds of millions of dollars converting a 320 acre parcel of farmland into a shopping mega-center where you can only access it by automobile. Added to that, you need to drive from store to store. Maybe you can see the value of such a development today, but try to imagine it in 30 years. Now think of the great cities of the World, and try to find a comparable development that has stood the test of time. They simply don’t exist. The great cities, and the great economic developments, are pedestrian areas where people shop, talk, eat and socialize together.
So why aren’t we demanding better planning from our governments, developers and entrepreneurs?
We hear all the time about the "New economy”. About how we need to change the way the world creates wealth, and how traditional economies are destined to take a step back to the new knowledge economies. We talk often about environmental sustainability and social responsibility in our business models. We really do talk a good game, but in my humble opinion, our problem is that we don’t actually believe it.
In Edmonton, in the very near future, we will hear a lot about a new downtown arena, about the airport lands redevelopment, a walkable city and investment in river valley infrastructure. These will be very important discussions, affecting the livability of our community for our children and our grandchildren. We need to start to believe that there can be a better way. Once we believe in it, we can start to demand it from our government and entrepreneurs. But we must also be prepared to invest in it.
If your still struggling with what I mean, perhaps watch this video. Geoff Mulgan, former policy advisor to Prime Minister Tony Blair, and now Director of the social innovation think tank, the Young Foundation, says it way better than I could.
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Reader Comments (3)
I do understand what you are saying, but I am not too sure if we could expect to ever see it here. North of Calgary the new Balzac mall recentley opened. It is about a ten minute commute north of Calgary and ten minutes south of Airdrie. The road infrastructure is not in place for this right off the QE2. People were lined up for hours to check out the opening of this mega mall.
To the point, in order to have the GOA, developers, and entrepreneurs, have better planning in place the public has to be wiling to change as well. The big box chains have taken over the local shops or forced them out of business. People want to go to the mall to shop, because it is one stop. Competing with the big boys is a challenge for small business, no matter what the industry is, because they run off volume. This eliminated the small corner stores and coffee shops where we used to go and socialize. People IMAO are not willing to forgoe the costs and luxery of the big branding. Environmentally everyone likes to say they do their part, I recycle, but will I give up my truck for something fuel efficient? Probably not. Socially, I get a funny look if I say good morning to a stranger, I am not sure people really care to be social outside their cirlce of friends.
The only way that change will come about will be through the end user of the social wants, service, product, or infrastructure be it walkways or trains. If they demand the change through their actions it will be done. Until then the mall it is.
BTW Nice Blog, first time here I will visit more frequent.
A.A.
I agree on your points, and yet I think we can move the ball forward. I was just in Europe on vacation and in both major centers I was in (London and Brussels) there are significantly less big-box and many small single-proprietor businesses. Certainly I did not see any major shopping centers.
I do think it's cultural, and in some cultures social interaction in a public setting is a priority. But government can shape the environment to make it more conducive to pedestrian areas by investing in transit, blocking off auto traffic, providing incentives to local business, etc.
Thanks for stopping by!
I appreciate several points in this post, and I enjoyed listening to Geoff Mulgan, thanks for sharing.
Your comments could spark a multitude of discussions in a variety of areas, and it doesn't seem appropriate to start down just one of those trails in a blog comment. However, I can't let AA's implied reference to South Edmonton Common as a "one-stop-shop" go uncontested. Just because several parking lots are situated side by side does not make it "one-stop". If I need to get groceries, craft supplies, and swedish meatballs, I'll still be parking three times at Superstore, Michaels, and IKEA. My family tried to patronize several stores using a single parking space once, but our child's life is more valuable than that.
I demand better planning, and when I see it I do my best to show my appreciation with dollars. It seems that's the only language that is universally understood. But since my dollars only go so far, I also do my best to sneer at/make fun of/pass judgment on/call out those who plan poorly and those who support poor planning. Peer pressure doesn't require dollars, but it can also be quite effective.