Face Joyfully the Challenge of Creating What Ought to Be!

You stand in the center of a grassy square ringed with fruit trees and surrounded with houses. The echoes of children playing are the loudest sounds you hear. Birds chirp, the wind blows, and you hear the sound of distant conversation as people pass on the streets.

The buildings here are somewhat uncommon -the flat-roofed among them have gardens and solar panels on them, while sloped roofs facing south have solar collectors integrated into the shingles or roofing material.

It is then that you notice the absence of cars. An occasional service vehicle moves along the narrow streets surrounding the square, but these, too, are quiet.

After a few moments, you realize that they are electric vehicles. People on bicycles navigate the streets as well, weaving in and out of children playing hopscotch or coloring the streets with chalk.

You move out of the square and follow one of the streets in the direction of origin of the bicyclists. You notice that most street corners have small markets, clearly locally owned.

After a few short blocks, and several more squares, you emerge onto a wider street, lined with shops, trees and broad sidewalks. Trolleys with bike racks move up and down the street, stopping frequently, and many people pass you on bike or foot.

Many of the businesses are locally owned, including book stores, hardware stores (which feature many solar electric devices and kits for their repair).

People seem to be less rushed, and they smile and nod as they pass each other. Some pause to talk, resting on plentiful benches and chairs.