KunstlerCast - Conversations: Converging Catastrophes of the 21st Century

How did the granola crunching nature-loving hippies of the 1960s become the gas guzzling, McMansion dwelling, suburban yuppies of today? James Howard Kunstler reflects on his own generation. Kunstler also shares some of his own groovy stories from the Age of Aquarius.

[Note: This episode mentions sex, recreational drug use, and includes some curse words.]

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Direct Download: KunstlerCast_26.mp3 ( 18 MB | 25:30 mins.)

Frederick Law Olmsted is most noted for designing Central Park in Manhattan. His method of landscape design now serves as the main model for how we design parks in America. But James Howard Kunstler believes that our ongoing attempts to replicate the Olmsted park have created many urban parks with serious shortcomings. Kunstler also warns listeners not to ask for "green space" in their towns because "green space" is an abstraction. Instead he urges people to learn the vocabulary of landscape architecture to be able to ask for specific park features.Learn about our theme music, join our mailing list and discuss this show at www.kunstlercast.com

Direct Download: KunstlerCast_25.mp3 ( 19 MB | 27 mins.)

James Howard Kunstler continues his walking tour of one city block in downtown Saratoga Springs, N.Y., a classic Main-street American town. We resume the tour on the corner of Division Street and Railroad Place, where a major urban infill project has produced a brand new urban street that is well defined on both sides by five-story high buildings, with dignified frontages, ground-level retail space and apartments above. Kunstler points out some architectural problems and weird transitions but he's mostly pleased by the new buildings in this neighborhood. As we leave the new urban street, things completely fall apart when we encounter the results of the urban renewal schemes of the 1960s. Most of the 20 acres in front of us is surface parking, occupied on the fringe by inappropriate suburban buildings.

[Note: Use Google Street View to follow along with this program. Visit: http://maps.google.com and enter this address: 402 Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Cross Broadway, head up Division Street and turn left at Railroad Place.]

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Direct Download: KunstlerCast_24.mp3 ( 14 MB | 20 mins.)

James Howard Kunstler often describes Saratoga Springs N.Y. as a classic Main Street American town. In part one of this special program, we take to the streets of Saratoga to experience the sense of place in this small city. Kunstler brings us from the busy sidewalks along Broadway to a sidestreet leading to a major urban infill project. He explains the urban sensibilities of the 19th century structures, points out the boneheaded decisions of the 1960s one-story development, and the promising efforts of mid-1990s new urbanism. [Note: Use Google Street View to follow along with this program. Visit: http://maps.google.com/ and enter this address: 402 Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY 12866]

Direct Download (21 MB): KunstlerCast_23.mp3

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James Howard Kunstler explores the consequences of handicap access laws and codes, and how they have unintentionally promoted suburban sprawl throughout much of America. In many instances, developers feel it's easier and cheaper to just build one-story buildings rather than multi-story handicap accessible buildings. These laws can also discourage the retrofitting of second and third story retail space in old "Main Street" buildings as well. So while handicap access codes may make it easier for some people to use our built environment, they can also indirectly make it more difficult for those do not own a car.

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Direct Download (13 MB): KunstlerCast_22.mp3

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Religious activists are praying at Washington DC gas stations for cheaper fuel. James Howard Kunstler says that type of neurotic behavior isn't much different than the behavior of cargo cults in the South Pacific. The concept of getting something for nothing is widely accepted by American culture, and religion, too. But Jim feels spirituality in America might one day evolve into something worthy of more respect than the Jiminy Cricket, consumerist culture of today's suburban mega churches. (Info about program and theme music at KunstlerCast.com)Direct Download (14 MB): KunstlerCast_19.mp3

Asphalt has become the default paving solution in America. And it's helped turn even side streets into mini freeways. It's ugly, it's bad for the environment and it might not be so cheap in the near future as the price of petroleum-based products rises. In this show, James Howard Kunstler discusses the aesthetics, the qualities and the practicalities of other paving materials. Jim says the built environment in America is so full of empty gestures that the sidewalks end after only 60 feet. But he has been to a place in Michigan where cars are not allowed. And the streets are wonderful. **Note to re-broadcasters: curse word at 1:22 mins. (Info about program and theme music at KunstlerCast.com)Direct Download (10 MB): KunstlerCast_18.mp3

A listener from San Francisco, who admits to suffering excessive civic pride for his hometown, asks James Howard Kunstler to critique The Golden Gate City and to speak about some of the other places in America that Jim actually likes. Kunstler acknowledges that San Francisco does a lot of things right. But it bends over for the car, and many of the streets are poorly detailed. He also warns that the city's plan to erect seven new skyscrapers is ill fated. We close the show with the seven or so cities in America that Jim likes best.

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Direct Download (10 MB): KunstlerCast_17.mp3

A listener from New Zealand asks JamesHoward Kunstler what peak oil holds in store for his island nation. The picture isn't pretty. Kunstler says the Kiwis better watch their backs. China, Japan and even Australia could all pose threats to New Zealand as they face shortages in the new energy future. At the end of the program, a cast of listeners sounds off. We hear from a black man in Queens who is not African-American, a former Long Island nanny, and an urban planner from Canada who asks Jim to lay off the planners, dude.

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Direct Download (10 MB): KunstlerCast_16.mp3

A listener from Canada asks if small cities will be willing and able to absorb more people after peak oil makes big city life problematic. James Howard Kunstler believes that many small cities across North America are waiting to be reactivated. These places would benefit from having more people living in them. But in order to prepare for returning populations, they will need to return to a much smaller increment of development.

(Info about program and theme music at KunstlerCast.com)

Direct Download (10 MB): KunstlerCast_15.mp3