The Future of Track Housing?

[Blueyedlex@cs.com]

Every month I seem to see a new home development spring up atop what was once 
productive farmland.  The Central Valley of California is growing quite 
rapidly, but I know we are not alone.  It saddens me to know that these 
developments are taking over many parts of the country.  They are simply 
ridiculous, and I don't mind sounding fanatical by saying that they should be 
made illegal.  Anything that takes up that much space and monopolizes the 
land the way these unattractive, unimaginative, uniform homes do, should be 
put to an end.  They are a complete waste.  An entire community built in a 
matter of months, by people who will not even live there, is bound to fall 
apart, and quickly.  They encourage newness, discourage recycling, and make 
small towns large with their "commuter friendliness."  
What is even more sad than the fact that someone wants to build these things, 
is that people flock to buy them.  So it goes without saying that a change 
must be made in the industry of track housing.  It is a change that will be 
scoffed at in the beginning, but so is every new idea.  I know that there are 
many an adventurous builder who has constructed an efficient and earth 
friendly home in order to achieve independence and a sense of helping the 
earth.  My question is, why can't this type of building be done for the 
masses?  I have some ideas about new communities, but as I am new to the 
study of permaculture and sustainable living, my list is not very long. 
Please send any additions to this list, or criticisms for that matter, as I 
am planning on spending much time developing this plan.

IDEAS FOR A NEW WAY TO LIVE 

THE HOUSES: straw bale, made of recycled material, underground houses, living 
roofs, built for easy indoor and outdoor gardening, composting toilets, rain 
catchers, built in recycling bins, energy efficient mechanisms, etc.
THE COMMUNITY:  Communal field, Community power source (windmills, 
watermills, etc.), community run business (fruit stand), community recycling 
center, etc. 

This kind of idea takes a lot of commitment from it's inhabitants, I'm not 
even sure I would be up to the dependency it would create between neighbors 
with so much sharing.  The main reason I am proposing such a seemingly far 
fetched idea is because I am tired of the same old thing creating the same 
old waste.   Even if these communities don't completely knock out track 
housing, I would hope that a few positioned in the right places, would make 
people notice that something is being done, and then wonder why people feel 
the need to do it.  I know one might argue that you can't change the world, 
but I hope that you can at least make people think.