I live in a town called Snow Shoe, located in the northwest portion of Centre County, Pennsylvania.  Snow Shoe is relatively small, sitting on a total area of 84 square miles and home to a population of around 2,000 people.  There is not many places to walk to in town, although it is possible.  Instead, the primary form of transportation is by vehicle. Most people work in nearby towns such as State College or Bellefonte, a 20-30 minute commute.  The urban density is relatively low as there are barely any tall building structures. Most of the buildings, churches, and community buildings are getting older and somewhat run down.  There are a few apartment buildings scattered throughout and many older homes.  There are a few restaurants and bars, a medical center, and a grocery store.  The town is pretty close-knit.  Everybody knows everybody and not a lot goes unnoticed.  However, the town is getting old and rundown.  Not much has changed as my hometown looks just as it did 10 and even 20 years ago.

When comparing the urban farming initiative in Detroit, Michigan to my own home town, there are many similarities.  While my town is not urban in the slightest compared to Detroit, farming is really big.  Many people grow their own produce in their own backyards.  My family always has an abundance of cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and peppers during the summer. Farmers in the area grow corn which is then sold fresh in food stands alongside the road.  Snow Shoe isn’t that food desert, as we do have a local grocery store, but having fresh produce available from your backyard is definitely a plus.  Because people grow their own produce, it is making them more sustainable.  Local farmers receive somewhat of a profit for selling their produce during the warmer months, just like the business aspect in the Detroit food markets.  I think for those who are not already growing their own food, it would allow for saving money, decreasing food miles, improving health, and creating an abundance of sustainable food sources.

I found it really interesting how the bus system has made such a large impact on transportation in Curitiba.  A huge bus system is very nonexistent in my town.  Everyone is pretty much on their own as far as public transportation is concerned.  Besides school buses and a Centre County Transportation bus that transports elderly residents in the area, most people rely on their own vehicles to get around.  One thing that recently starting happening, however, was a carpool.  Many people work at Penn State and may opt to take turns driving in a carpool. There are quite a few people who participate, decreasing air pollution. I carpool with my mom. This really helps save money and running one vehicle is always better than running two in terms of pollution and helping the environment.  The transportation mode in Curitiba is relatable to carpooling in my town as they both are ways of getting bigger groups of people to their destination while decreasing the amount of vehicles on the road.