Expensive housing or no affordable housing segregates people on a socio-economic level which generally leads to segregation by race. Not having environmentally safe recreational sites create a lack of physical activity. An increase in emissions caused by our lust for personal automobiles continues to contribute to global warming. I am guilty too, but only because we do not have available funds to purchase a green vehicle right now and research is revealing that green technologies will also have negative effects on our environment as we move into the future.
Our children emulate what we show them. If we have to have our own anything, our children will ultimately exist within that have-to mentality as well. An increase in roadways and parking lots needed to support our transportation system leads to water pollution and the contamination of water supplies which affects public health, increases erosion, and stream siltation causes environmental damage. Our social capital or connectedness of groups built through healthy behaviors (social networking and civic engagement) fosters attitudes of trust and reciprocity, creates better behaviors, better selfhealth rates, and less negative results, an example of which is heart disease.
We can be our own worst enemy. If you want to see how your community leaders are helping, OR NOT, sit in on a city meeting and find out what they are trying to do to help families. Ask questions. Get involved! Bottom line, it’s up to you to make the change for the betterment of your family and for the betterment of mankind.