The Sierra Club has released the 2005report, Building Better: a
Guide to America’s Best New Development Projects, that is gaining
attention and highlights good examples of smart growth projects that
improve quality of life without giving up environmental quality. It is
posted on our website at
www.sierracluborg/sprawl/report05
Smart Growth Shareware presents a library of smart growth resources
for everyone interested in creating livable, well-planned communities.
These are road-tested presentation and materials by local and national
leaders and organizations immediately downloadable publications and fact
sheets and web site links to over 100 additional sources.
www.smartgrowthamerica.org
The Sierra Club has teamed up with the National Multi Housing Council
on an array of great literature and PowerPoint presentations produced by
a unique collaboration of leading real estate and environmental
organizations. www.nmhc.org
GOOD READS
Citizen’s Primer for Conservation Activism. How to Fight
Development in Your Community
Judith Perlman
University of Texas Press, Austin, TX, 2004
Judith Perlman has created a practical handbook detailing the
process of organizing, funding, and managing a grass-roots campaign
to preserve open space. Her recommendations range from identifying
the issues to building coalitions and influencing government.
Perlman recounts how her little coalition of unschooled citizens
had to quickly learn a great deal as they opposed local politicians
and powerful developers. Against all odds, they stopped the
annexation and succeeded in creating a State Conservation Area. A
few years later, Perlman used her experience in another similar
battle and succeeded again. In the meantime, she helped create a
groundbreaking commission which allows two townships to work
together on comprehensive land-use plans. Her efforts helped create
a permanent group of informed citizens who anticipate threats to
open space instead of always reacting to an emergency situation.
This little book is packed with details about devising a
strategy, fund-raising, understanding governmental policy and
dealing with the media. The nuts and bolts of a campaign are
discussed in straightforward language with occasional wry wit.
Perlman warns of common pitfalls, discusses how codes are created
and enforced, where to find help and how to manage the process.
