ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 21, 1996 TAG: 9604230016
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: Guest Column
SOURCE: CHARLES ROBERTS
Beth Obenshain's nostalgic column ("Savoring Small-Town Pleasures," April 7) raises a troubling economic and philosophical dilemma: What are the real consequences of shopping at such giant retail outlets as Wal-Mart to save a few bucks in the family budget?
Examine that question in the light of one dealing with the demise of the small, locally owned stores hanging on in downtowns. Clearly, the growth of the merchandising giant, endowed with its huge advantages from economies of scale, will virtually guarantee the disappearance of the small retail stores.
The "downtown" shopping areas Obenshain recalls helped to create the focal point for nearly all community activities, ranging from local government offices to theaters, restaurants, and, not the least in importance, the ice cream bars that supplied both the culinary and musical tastes of the teen-agers.
These places were generally quite accessible to pedestrians or easily reached by convenient local public transportation. The old downtown areas are being destroyed by the merchandising conglomerates that produced the suburban shopping centers located miles from where people live and work. The use of the automobile has become a necessity even to purchase a loaf of bread or a pair of socks.
All of these changes have been encouraged by government policies that assign highest priority to economic growth and development, while neglecting almost all other considerations. This headlong plunge into unrestricted growth raises major issues about the ultimate fate of communities and finally the character of the nation itself.
What is the final objective? When will we have realized enough growth and development to declare success and turn attention to maintaining the quality of community life instead of defining the "American Dream" in terms of material wealth and raging consumerism? What kind of community and nation do we want for our children and grandchildren? These questions cry out for answers and demand the design and implementation of policies that assure that these goals can be attained.
This is not to condemn everything that has been achieved under the banner of progress. Certainly, the reality of having goods, gadgets and foods from the far ends of the Earth available for purchase by the average person, all in one place within a half-hour trip from home, represents an achievement that was beyond the power or the imagination of the most august ruler or monarch just a few decades ago. But it is now time to take stock of where we are in growth and economic development and analyze the byproducts of these achievements, especially their implications for the future.
The natural resources of the Earth are finite. Keep in mind that at an annual economic growth rate of 3.5 percent, the output of goods and services will double in just 20 years. Imagine two New River Malls sitting astride U.S. 460. Even the "smart" roads couldn't handle that.
Population increase, along with our acquisitive instincts, will eventually submerge us in the throw-away items that characterize our society. Studies predict the world's population will nearly double by the time the Dole-Clinton-Gingrich balanced budget is realized.
The challenge we now face is to define limits to growth and set policies that will keep our society within the bounds that accommodate a quality life for all people. It is important that we develop and control technologies that promote this, while rejecting trends toward producing more gadgets that merely increase the stocks already overflowing our landfills.
Charles Roberts is a scientist retired from the U.S. Forest Service. He lives in Blacksburg, but spends his summers in Vermont, where he observes that New England state's struggle to preserve its small towns.
LENGTH: Medium: 70 linesby CNB