Some of you who read this site may have wondered if its no-growth message is unique. Are there others calling for an end to or a severe limit on residential growth in their local area? Are they doing it for the same reasons we discuss here? The answer to both questions is “Yes!” Groups and individuals in other areas have come to recognize that growth is unsustainable as a long term goal, that it costs an area its character and quality of life while destroying the environment, and that the solution involves finding and maintaining an appropriate population size and pursuing sustainable forms of development rather than physical expansion.

There are a few who share all of our key positions. Many others are at least sympathetic to our chief concerns, though they have not taken the step of embracing a no-growth stance. Those in the latter group usually promote some form of “smart growth.” We’ll be addressing the differences between the no-growth and smart growth approaches very soon. For now I’ll just mention that while smart growth is a necessary short term tool, there is little question we need to take the next step to “no-growth.” Not only is it the the approach that best addresses environmental and community preservation concerns, but forces are converging to make it a necessity if we are to provide for future generations. No-growth is the future of community growth management.

Some of those who share our philosophy can of course be found on the Web. I believe it’s informative and affirming to touch base with them. With that in mind, let’s take a look in this post at a group in Albermarle County, Virginia which shares our views and goals. Advocates for a Sustainable Albermarle Population (ASAP) has been around longer than we have, and it shows in their well developed, refined information. They’re a great source for clear, accurate information on the no-growth message.

As a sizable grass roots organization they’ve been able to organize events and gather resources which are beyond our little operation’s current abilities. They provide hints, however, at what should be possible here if enough people take up the no-growth cause and decide to organize.

I encourage you to explore ASAP’s site. Read their “Core Beliefs” section, then take a look at a few issues of their newsletter or examine their “Recommended Reading” (where you’ll see the Gottlieb article we recently outlined). Now let’s look at a few quotes from the ASAP site:

From the “Core Beliefs” section:

Managing a community’s population size is not an end in itself, but rather a means to slow environmental degradation and to ensure a quality of life that is attractive, equitable, and sustainable.

That’s important to keep in mind. The goal is not to stop growth for the sake of stopping growth; it’s to stop its unavoidable effects.

Endless growth is simply not sustainable. We can, however, aim for a “sustainable population” characterized by a size and distribution that maintains and even strengthens the health of our natural and social environments. ASAP is committed to helping the Albemarle County community reach a stationary population, leveling off as soon as possible.

This is exactly what we need on the agenda in MV/Lisbon. We need to decide on a population cap and plan for how to maintain it.

We support most of the growth-management methods promoted by advocates of “smart growth.” These buy time, but, ultimately, the “smart-growth” approach is little more than an accommodation to growth—trying to reduce or postpone its costs by determining where growth occurs, not whether it occurs. Slowing the local population explosion is necessary, but not sufficient. Ultimately, growth must stop.

This is the Small Town Project position on smart growth as well. As I mentioned, we’ll examine this topic in more detail.

Inevitability of Growth
This is a myth: growth is not inevitable. Our community has, or can obtain, the knowledge and tools to control our demographic fate. Growth can be managed if we display the political will.

The belief in its inevitability is a key obstacle we must overcome if we’re to deal effectively with growth.

From the May/June, ‘05 newsletter:

ASAP’s observation that our local population size cannot grow forever seems, oddly, to be controversial.

This reminds me of my asking the members of the Lisbon city council why Lisbon needed to grow forever. They answered as though there was nothing odd about the “forever” part of the question. Yet endless growth is impossible! The logical conclusion is that many people have not thought far enough ahead to see the absurdity of the notion of endless community growth.

Hostility to the idea of capping local population growth derives at least in part, I believe, from: (a) The discredited belief that an “invisible hand” in a free market economy will somehow lead all communities to grow in ways that are equitable, environmentally healthy, and attractive… (c) The triumph of a desire for short-term individual/corporate profit over the desire for long-term community good.

We’ve recently seen a citizen assert the “invisible hand” argument in a letter to the Sun. The lure of short term profit is unfortunately a given.

Well, I could go on and on with quotes that affirm precisely the positions of the Small Town Project. But I hope the few above have provided food for thought. Take a while to poke around the ASAP site for more. I think you’ll find it well worth your time!