Living and Working in Burlington Vermont

Last Friday night, Burlington once again came together as a community in support of a worthwhile cause. On this night, it was the Light the Night Walk in memory of those who were lost to blood cancers and in support of those who have survived. Burlington never ceases to amaze me with the size of its heart and the lengths it will go to support the needy, the troubled, the disadvantaged, and those to whom life has thrown some lousy curve balls. I cannot think of an event that the community has not turned out for.

In all of the ceremony and solemnity that surrounds these events there are some folks who get lost in the shuffle. We tend to forget the city employees that control traffic, that also work with organizers to secure permits, that work with merchants to ensure that commerce and remembrance can co-exist. Often we see those who walk, row, bike or run but sometimes we don’t take the time to thanks the nameless onlookers that cheer and donate their spare change or cash as folks go by.

It is much easier to talk about the problems we face as a community. I am as guilty as the next person for that. However, it is times like this where it does us all well to reflect on the truly exceptional community that we live in. If you ever wonder why we are listed as “first” in so many indicators of community health, just remember the landscape as the Light the Night walk passed by.

This past week, two notable accolades were added to the many that Burlington has received in the recent past. We were cited as one of the best cites in the United States to raise a family by both National Geographic Magazine and Children’s Health Magazine. We are now one of the most fit, the most healthy, the most bike friendly… and the list goes on. We should all be proud of the recognition that our small city and small state receive on the national stage. As is often said, we may be small but we ‘play big’.

There are those who like to take shots a people and places that rank at the top of any particular list. It has become a blood sport to tear down those who have gained fame and fortune. Burlington fares no better. While there are certainly things that could be done better here, whether it be economic development, road maintenance, or waterfront development, the fact is that the city still bustles with tourists, attractions still compete to come here, and businesses still get created and succeed.

So, while we work hard to fix the impediments that still confront us, let’s take a second to bask in the well deserved accolade. This is a great city and region to live and raise a family. After all, isn’t that why many of us came here and why we stay!

I recently accompanied the CEO and other senior staff from Hazelett Strip Casting of Colchester to Tongling, Anhui Province in China. We were there to celebrate the opening of a copper rod manufacturing plant that featured a Hazelett machine as the centerpiece of their operation. Equipment manufactured in Colchester is the world standard for quality casting. Sometimes as we salivate over the ‘new’ economy we forget that we have legacy anchors that keep on producing jobs, profits and goods for the world market.

Clearly there is a world of difference between what one experiences in the Untied States as compared to China. The food, people, culture and architecture is very different. Those things are to be expected and don’t come as much of a surprise.

A few things did stand out and caused me to wonder whether or not, in China’s drive to become a world manufacturing power and leader, they are making the same mistakes that we did four decades or so.

One cannot help but notice the proliferation of high rise apartment buildings that pepper the landscape. China’s policy to turn farm land into industrial development zones has led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands if not millions of people. Their skyline now is not dissimilar from that of New York, or Newark, or Chicago. Following our experiment with public housing, we learned that a dense pack of humanity that removes a sense of individualism and identity leads to difficult social problems.

Another unexpected revelation dealt with transportation. Folks who traveled to China fifteen or twenty years ago recall streets crowded with bicycles with very few motorized vehicles. Today, bikes have been replaced by motorized scooters; motorcycles, small cars; bigger Buicks and even SUV’s. Traffic control devices are clearly more advisory than mandatory as residents drive wherever and however they choose, much like one would on a bike. The consequences now are blaring horns, incredible traffic jams and erratic behaviors. I witnessed more crashes in one week in China than I would in a year in Vermont or even in a major U. S city. On the other hand, I can’t remember hitting one pothole. Their infrastructure is magnificent.

This post is not meant to disparage China or their move from socialism to an interesting form of capitalism. In fact, I applaud their slow but inexorable migration. However, some of the best lessons that can be learned are about how to avoid doing something incorrectly. We have a lot to teach about tearing up productive farm land, forcing people to live on top of each other and the rush to transportation models that guzzle gas while polluting the air.

Your Thoughts?