I'd vote for having Detroit and Curitaba designated as Sister Cities. There is much to learn from each other. Check out their transportation systems and just consider how much creative (renewable) energy could be generated by design and inclusion of citizen planning to install one of the worlds best and cheapest mass transit bus, education, social services systems.... etc. etc....
 http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/fellows/brazil1203/parks.html .
Take a tour on this site you'll find numerous creative options that could stop the whiners in their tracks, you know the oh me oh my what are we going to do. Uhhhm but I digress, We'd like to hear your thoughts on the subject, pleeze.