I live in Lititz, Pennsylvania which is a suburb of Lancaster, PA. The part of Lititz that I live in is considered to be an automobile suburb because it is a residential area where buses do not frequent and people have to use their cars to get places.  There has been a lot of growth and development in a mile radius of my home, but I’d still consider it to be of a low density as homes are on plots of ½ to 1 acre or more. Downtown Lititz would be considered a pedestrian-oriented community because everything is within walking distance; some residents of this area live and work in “downtown” and only rarely use a car.   There are a large number of shops, restaurants, parks, and convenience stores in downtown Lititz.  According to the 2014 census, Lititz, PA has a population of 9,400 people.  My town and the county of Lancaster are known for the Amish families who live there.  A lot of my culture and that of the Lititz environment is based off the Amish traditions. We embrace their culture while still keeping our “way-of-life” alive. For example, the streets are made for cars and horse and buggies. We share the road and both respect one another. We have many farmers’ markets sustained by the Amish and other farmers which allows for locally grown, fresh produce.   The outskirts of our town is made up of farmland with a few neighborhoods are spread throughout the area.  I was born and raised in Lititz and have lived in the same house for 19 years. I have friends that live close enough for me to walk to their home, and yet I live far enough from stores and my church that a car is a necessity. Bike riding would definitely be a possibility except for the fact that we do not have consistent bike lanes through the pedestrian or automobile suburbs.  My home/neighborhood/community is a wonderful place to have grow up!  

The first town that I want to discuss is Beacon Hill, Boston Massachusetts.  This would definitely be considered a pedestrian-oriented community because there are many places to work, shop, and seek entertainment within walking distance. The urban area has many streets that were first built 200 plus years ago, are made of “cobblestones”, and are so narrow that only one car can pass at a time.  Beacon Hill is a wealthy neighborhood and the residents can afford cars, but they choose not to use them very much because walking is a better option for the area; walking places makes their community more “sustainable”!   Beacon HIll is an inspiration for Lititz in my eyes because it is so physically beautiful!  The residents take pride in their homes and they strive to keep the area beautiful which, in turn, keeps the residents emotionally happy and fulfilled.  This fact about Beacon Hill reminds me of Lititz, PA because most Lititz homeowners do strive to make their “piece of the block” as aesthetically pleasing as possible.  Also, there are many shops, churches, doctor/dentist offices, a farmers’ market, schools, and recreational facilities within Lititz that are in walking distance that families can be sustained in the town.
The second city that I’d like to discuss is Detroit, Michigan.  Detroit really impresses me as a city with a lot of resourceful citizens.  The urban gardens, “farms”, rooftop gardens and markets are unbelievable and should encourage the people of any city to become more sustainable with “Mom and Pop gardens”.  As I watched the Detroit video, I could not help but think that the citizens of Lititz are not using half of the space that they have available to raise healthy food.  Certainly the Lititz Farmers’ Market that is held every Saturday morning could sustain more food stands and would, in turn, encourage the consumption of more locally grown, nutritious food.  One other thing that I noticed in the Detroit video was the fact that a volunteer was willing to help Will harvest and sell his crops.  I know that Lititz houses MANY high school students, church clubs, and adults who love to volunteer their time so as to help others.  I believe that , as Detroit, Lititz and its residents could grow a lot more fruits/vegetables and become much more self-sustaining.