Cities Key to Curbing Climate Crisis

As New Urbanism grows in popularity and programs like LEED-ND start to take off, more people are paying attention to the natural environmental benefits of urbanism...

The Urban Revival
Cities may be the key to curbing climate crisis

By Kate Sheppard

Ever wonder what the greenest place is in all the United States? While images of a grass-roofed yurt occupied by back-to-the-landers in rural Montana might spring to mind, it's really quite the opposite. While we might note them for their density and smog, the greenest places in the United States are our urban areas.

There are a number of reasons why urban areas offer the potential for a greener lifestyle. They're dense, meaning people use less land, occupy smaller living quarters and use fewer natural resources. They're home to better public transit systems and, even better, they're more walkable. They consist of a more diverse mix of buildings — houses, row homes, apartments, stores and office buildings are all within the same neighborhood. And they reduce the need to drive, meaning fewer resources have to go into cars, highways and parking lots.

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