Starting where there are differences in our predic~ment is a good jumping-offpoint: Europe, for example, has long adjusted to fewer resources at its disposal, getting by with less ofall those vices ultimately American- malls, monster cars, sprawling suburbs and freeway interchanges. In the framework of much older societies, a kind of culture has evolved that could still be considered a fair alternative to the United States, with its Viennese coffeehouses, the trams and tubes of Munich and Gothenburg, neighborhood markets in London, and other urban amenities. Per capita energy consumption of Europeans ranges far below that of the States~more like our early '60s levels-and many technical 'refinements and efficiency standards, such as with district heating .and thrifty appliances, have been implemented. It may not be "appropriate" in texture and scale, b11;t life in Europe is still a long shot from idling motors at the local Burger King. In this sense, Europe already has a leg up. .• A more extreme version of this perspective could be the ,case of Britain, often cited as the European economy most seriously in decline, where a lack of investment •in new industrial productivity and poor management have reduced its competitive advantage in the world economy. A variation on this theme is that Britain, first to industrialize, is now the first to go post-industrial, almost as if by intention. In the economist's jargon; this basically means a switch away from heavy goods production to a service-oriented economy. Bernard Nossiter, La Rochelle is getting quite a reputation. The site of last year's Community Action in Europe conference, the city has quite a few other claims to fame. Under the guidance of ecologically oriented deputy mayor Michel Crepeau, La Rochelle has implemented comprehensive planning for the future- "l'ecologie dans la vie communale"-witp an emphasis on energy conservation and urban revitalization. Among La Rochelle's programs and achievements: the installation of solar domestic hot water heating on 1,000 publicly owned apartments; implementation of urban recycling-over one-half the citizens of the city now source separate paper and plastic from other disposables, and recycled plastics produce a profit for the city; revamping of inner-city streets into pedestrian walkways, creation of green spaces and exten_sive tree-planti•ng·-the city has a separate budget earmarked for tree-planting which cannot be tapped for other purposes, even during tight ecoPage 10 RAIN November 1979 in his book Britai.n: A Future That Works (Houghton-Mifflin, 1978, 275 pp., $9.95 hardcover), observes that the British are now more'likely to be satisficing as opposed to optimizingpreferring more leisure, the arts, and a cleaner environment to higher incomes and material expansion. Again, it's not an "a. t." view of the world, but does point to some different possibilities. It's probably no coincidence that some of the most notable European experiments in sustainability, such as the Lucas Aerospace Workers (RAIN, May '79) and the National Centre for Alternative Technology (Aug/Sept '77) are in Britain, nor that the movements for regional autonomy in its hinterlands are alive and kicking. To the interested (admittedly linguistically biased) observer, the explosion ofgrass roqts a.t. groups and activities appears to be the most extensive there. In Europe as a whole, the restrictions of old traditions and ideas make having a philosophic and historical basis for change absolutely necessary-even among "alternative" movements. There's not that all-American talent for just upping and trying new ideas, which is why when it comes right down to innovation, American appropriate technologists seem t9 be leading the way. If one can indulge in an overall descrption of our European counterparts-risky at best-it would be thq,t they are of necessity more political-as-witnessed in their diversity of ecology-type parties and mass-based anti-nuclear movements. Yet their many efforts manage to reflect the high denomic times; and an innovative program which permits the free use of several hundred municipally owned bicycles by city residents, to lessen traffic on La Rochelle's streets and save energy. An overall emphasis of Mayor Crepeau's programs are to revitalize and preserve the city and its cultu_ral heritage. Les Velos a la Rochelle (The Bicycles of La Rochelle), 49 pp., December 1978, from: Centre d'Etudes des Transports Urbains 46 Avenue Aristide Briand 92223 Bagneux, France L'Ecologie dans la Vie Communale, Politique et experience de La Rochelle, 8 pp., from: Michel Crepeau, 'Depute-Maire 3 Rue St. Come 17000 La Rochelle, France
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