The Land That Could Be: Environmentalism and Democracy in the Twenty-First Century (Urban and Industrial Environments)

Chosen as the Best Book in Ecological and Transformational Politics by the Section on Ecological and Transformational Politics of the American Political Science Association (APSA).

In this book environmentalist and lawyer William Shutkin describes a new kind of environmental and social activism spreading across the nation, one that joins the pursuit of environmental quality with that of civic health and sustainable local economies. In the face of challenges posed by often corrosive market forces and widespread social disaffection, this civic environmentalism is creating nothing less than a new public discourse and dynamic social vision grounded in environmental action.

Shutkin points the way to vibrant, sustainable communities through four inspiring examples of civic environmentalism in action: the redevelopment of contaminated urban land for agriculture in inner-city Boston, mass-transit-based development and waterfront restoration in Oakland, protection of open space and conservation-based development in rural Colorado, and smart-growth and sustainability strategies in suburban New Jersey. The book's underlying message is that the nation's environmental health is a critical factor in its success as a vital democracy. Social health, democratic community, and environmentalism, Shutkin shows, are one.

If one is to believe William Shutkin, the times of environmental avengers demonstrating in the streets against huge global organizations may someday be just a memory. In Shutkin's vision, the next stage of environmentalism will be a democratic, partnered one, with interest groups working together rather than vying to defeat each other, reaching consensus and making long-term plans that benefit both the environment and the community. This vision is called civic environmentalism, "the explicit link between environmental problem solving and the goal of community building ... ensuring the quality and sustainability of our communities, economically, socially, and environmentally."

Shutkin, who is a lawyer, environmentalist, and cofounder of an environmental law and education nonprofit organization, describes examples of civic environmentalism at work across America. Fruitvale, California, for instance, was a multicultural, economically depressed segment of West Oakland with high disease rates from the millions of cars that sped by every year on the nearby freeways. When BART, the regional transit authority, proposed locating a parking garage in the middle of Fruitvale's commercial district, a community development organization teamed up with residents to stop the project--which would have brought even more air pollution to the area--and convinced BART officials to support a plan to build a "transit village" instead. When completed, the result will be not a concrete block in the middle of town but a community center with shops, housing, restaurants, commercial space, and a pedestrian plaza. The BART subway stop will be within the village while parking will be located on the village's margins.

Shutkin stresses that potential wins can still become losses if coalitions fall apart. Although readers may find Shutkin's writing style on the dry side, it's nevertheless an inspiring read. If you're wondering how we will evolve from confrontation to cooperation as competition for land becomes more fierce and as we search for ways to revivify our blighted, deprived places, The Land That Could Be is the place to start looking for answers. --Stefanie Durbin