Urban density is major element in the picture of a bright green future. Compact homes, closely situated, make a drastic difference in the all-around efficiency of a city, from energy to transportation to shopping for basic necessities. They also make it easy to skip driving and take transit or walk, which decreases pollution and improves physical health. Finally, they foster the creation of supportive community networks in which resources can be better shared and everyone feels safer.
Knowing, however, that populations in general are on the rise, and urban populations in particular, it's important to look ahead towards growth that can accommodate greater numbers without degrading the surrounding natural environment and encouraging sprawl. Smart growth strategies look at ways to make living closer to the city more appealing than a life out in the suburbs, encouraging more dense development on the edge of cities and less sprawl out into the open space outside the metropolitan area.
Smart Growth, Smart Places and Bright Green Cities
Why Density is Green, Closed-Loop Cities
Walksheds, Cabspotting and Smart Places
Linking Social Equality and Smart Growth
TravelSmart and a Philosophical Formula for the Urge to Drive
Neighbornode and Hyperlocal Networking
The Kind of Problem an Automobile Is
Compact Communities, Climate Change: Mapping the Answers
10,000 Steps and Pedestrian-Friendly Neighborhoods
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