'People Habitat': Kaid Benfield Takes Smart Growth to a Higher Level

"Whether you see nature as the flawless handiwork of the Divine or simply as the product of a universe unfolding in perfect balance, one thing is clear: The intrusion of our imperfect selves does not improve upon it. If we’re to be good stewards — that is, if we’re to act in harmony with all of Creation — then our focus must be on limiting our impacts, not expanding them. Which means organizing ourselves in more enticing and efficient ways that, to whatever degree possible, leave nature be."

"Kaid hits this reality, and hits it hard, through personal recollections of his sometimes uncomfortable history with the environmental movement. Like many of his fellow Boomers faced in their youthful exuberance with a planet under siege, he initially saw development — in whatever form — as the enemy but reconciled over time that such black and white thinking was more often worthy of parody than progress."

Scott Doyon goes on to review Kaid Benfield's new book, “People Habitat”, from a slightly different perspective.