Issue No. 5

What do you feel when you touch grass?

Katherine J. Desourdie, Alex Forsyth, Raphael Gutteridge, Henry Lewis, Thomas Spoletini, Victoria Zhang

Part of the beauty of social media is the communities that develop around shared interests. Originally, I got on the internet to take part in the Star Trek fan community, and over time, that’s shifted to urban planning and architecture circles. My online experience is one of bike lane analysis (never enough separation) and jargon-filled appraisal of new construction technologies (passivhaus, etc.) from actual experts in the field who share their knowledge in this public forum. 

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Of course, it’s one thing to read about a city and another to experience it. Even if the online conversations you’re part of aren’t screaming matches, sometimes you should just get outside and touch grass. A manual from the Ministry of Transportation on adequate bike lane widths is just a set of words and numbers until you’re out on the street. Jane Jacobs is just an author until you’re on the sidewalk running errands. 

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This spring, when the weather improves, get out there. Feel the grass as it thaws from winter and take note of how it feels. Learn about your neighborhood by experiencing it. Get offline and go touch grass.