Issues: Smart Growth

Strip malls create visual blight and dependence on cars, while discouraging face-to-face social encounters. People reach such retail areas -- far from where they live and work -- by traveling on crowded highways in closed vehicles, increasing a sense of isolation from other people and the natural environment.

Walkable, mixed-use areas, such as this pedestrian plaza in Boulder, Colorado, increase social interactions and enhance a community's quality of life. People meet walking to and from restaurants, shops, and neighborhood parks, creating a sense of community. And people who can shop, run errands, visit the dentist and take the kids to soccer practice close to home save time -- and reduce stress.

Photos: Top, Laura Olsen; Bottom, Matthew Raimi