Wednesday was Earth Day, which got us thinking over here at Ten Space about the importance of our cities when it comes to protecting the environment. At first thought, most people probably don’t think of cities as good for the environment. They are loud, crowded and congested. And intuitively, that makes sense. How can cities with bad traffic and smoggy air be better for the environment, than, say, the suburbs? But it’s the way in which cities are designed that can actually make living in a dense, walkable urban area much more ecofriendly than living in a suburban area, closer to nature itself.
Newer neighborhoods are often on the outskirts of cities, giving people the sense that they are living in a more sustainable environment. And true to form, a lot of the suburban neighborhoods we see today are landscaped with lush trees, ferns, ivy, ponds, manmade lakes and other accessories that give residents the feeling that they are closer to green space. But the presence of trees doesn’t necessarily mean one neighborhood is “greener” than another. The way we plan our neighborhoods matters, and depending on the streets, the amenities, and the housing mixture, one type of neighborhood can actually be much more detrimental to the environment than another.
Today, we know that living in urban areas is actually a much more environmentally friendly way to live. People who live in walkable neighborhoods with a mixture of housing types and amenities don’t need to drive as often, which leads to fewer greenhouse gas emissions. In a strong urban neighborhood, everything is close by, whether it’s your job, grocery store, dry cleaners or favorite restaurant. Instead of driving everywhere, residents of urban areas can walk or bike to their destinations. People who live in more dense areas also consume far less water than their suburban counterparts, which makes perfect sense: No big lawns to water or swimming pools to fill. No lavish landscaping to irrigate. Instead, city dwellers have public parks and plazas as their “backyards” where they can interact with other people from the neighborhood. And living in an urban core is better for our waterways, too. Suburban neighborhoods pave over precious farmland, and all this new pavement means storm water can’t soak into the water table. Instead, storm water—with all the motor oil, anti-freeze and other chemicals that leak from cars—is rushed into our rivers and streams. It’s why you see so many dead fish after the years’ first rain storm.
So as we celebrate Earth Day, let’s reflect on how our built environment affects our natural environment. The way our cities are designed shapes our behavior, and walkable, urban cores make it easy to live green.
-The Ten Space team