The makers of a viral sensation from last year (Built to Last) are back with a new video series that takes a hard look at America’s collective frustration with sprawl and the smarter alternatives for growth and development happening in communities across the country. “With ugly sprawl everywhere you look in America, it’s time for a national makeover,” they ask. “So what’s the alternative?”
American Makeover is a new web-exclusive series that explores those alternatives in communities across America, looking at what can be done to help our communities grow in such a way that gives us the kind of neighborhoods and choices we’re increasingly looking for. The first episode “sounds the alarm bell on Atlanta’s sprawl.” No one who has ever been to Atlanta will argue their status as poster child of sprawling growth, but it’s encouraging that the filmmakers spend most of the short episode taking a closer look at the alternatives in Atlanta — focusing on those growing millions of people who are looking for places to live that are walkable and connected and don’t entail hour-long car commutes to work, school, or the local market.
American Makeover is still very much in the works, with plans to visit 4-5 more cities in the coming months, but they’re looking for support from everyday folks and like-minded organizations to bring the project to fruition. Financial backers get a stake in the project depending on how much they give, ranging from a thank you in the credits up to an organization’s logo in each video and DVD packaging.
Will you consider helping them out with a donation to see this project through to the end? Smart Growth America is happy to support their efforts and we’re looking forward to using the final products to help communicate our message far and wide.