A b ou t
G WHOLE LIVIN
THE ARTIST
Illustrations by Birmingham artist Laura Levie. Find more of her work at
Downtown Alabama HOM E G ROW N
lauralevie.com.
WITH HEART
IS MY WATER SAFE? Municipal water companies do a pretty good job of filtering the water, and their quality of filtration is highly regulated. They do add chemicals, such as chlorine, to treat your water, but these can be filtered out easily and quickly just before you drink it.
I f y ou lo ok at a m ap of a l mo s t a ny c it y i n A l ab a m a , y ou ’ l l no t ic e at it s “ he a r t ” l ie s do w nto w n . As we all know, if the heart is healthy, the rest of the body
visitors and residents of all backgrounds and ages. Most
typically is too. Today, people are recognizing a vibrant
importantly, though, is the fact that revitalized downtowns
downtown offers authenticity, sustainability and a healthi-
are proving to be a catalyst for healthy communities. By of-
er quality of life for its community.
fering increased walkability, recreation and art and culture options as well as environmental and economic sustain-
While each downtown community is constantly shift-
ability, the resurgence of downtown America (particularly
ing and shaping, one major commonality is its potential
Alabama!) is one of the most promising health trends on
to harness business creativity and innovation, inviting
the horizon.
14
VISIT JOYTOLIFE.ORG
BY JENNY ENSLEN STUBBS
