In this program, scientist and environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki examines the social, economic, and environmental implications of "sprawl," the low-density development that spreads out from the edges of cities and towns. For decades suburban housing has carried the promise of paradise, but the need for continuous infrastructure development and the intensification of sprawl-related ecological issues, which are eroding health and quality of life, are making the true impact of suburbia painfully clear in the areas surrounding Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Vancouver, British Columbia. However, Portland, Oregon, has become a model of what can be accomplished when administrators, businesses, and residents commit themselves to slowing sprawl and reestablishing the amenities that make for a happy and healthy community. (47 minutes)