258_How to Transform Our Urban Areas into a Sustainable Metropolic

Over the last several hundred years there have been an increasing number of people moving to urban areas. But have you ever ask yourself if it is healthier to live in the city or in a rural area. Or is it more environmentally friendly to live in the city versus the country side. Which lifestyle has the least environmental impact?

There is no doubt that urbanization has reshaped our land, our lifestyles and our resources systems. But, few people comprehend that this lifestyle is profoundly unsustainable. Despite that, more and more people are becoming suburbanites. 

But it is possible to change all that with the right balance and of course intentional living. So join me for E258 How to Transform Our Urban Areas into a Sustainable Metropolis

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E258 How to Transform Our Urban Areas into a Sustainable Metropolis.

So, what I want to discuss in this episode is this global trend toward urbanization, why that is happening, and the significant environmental impact of this trend. But I want to follow that by giving you a balanced perspective on how we can make our urban areas much more sustainable.

Good News Story of the Week

Now I thought this story sort of goes along with this week’s episode because it is about urban living.

A couple of days ago I was seeing an older couple as clients in one of the clinics where I work on a regular basis. They were telling me they had recently moved into town after living in a very rural area for over 30 years.

They were telling me that the two biggest areas of adjustment with living in town was all the noise and all the light pollution. This kind of made me laugh because I could relate to exactly what they were saying. Whenever I have to spend time in town for work that is exactly what I cannot adjust to, all the noise and the light pollution.

But as it turns out, those things have a detrimental affect on our health. A recent study showed that the street light outside your window, the charging light on your plug adapter, or the flash of your phone in the middle of the night because you are receiving a message, can have harmful affects on your brain. These artificial light sources were linked to increased stress activity in the brain, increased arterial inflammation, and a higher risk of heart disease.

Artificial light sources are nearly universal in our modern cities and suburbs. It was already known that environmental factors such as increased air and noise pollution can have the same detrimental effects. But this first of it’s kind study revealed the same relation with light pollution. The greater the artificial night light exposure, the higher the risk of heart disease development. Every standard deviation increase in light exposure was associated with about 35% and 22% increased risk of heart disease over five- and 10-year follow-up periods, respectively.

It has long been known that sound, regular sleep is the foundation of good health. Now you have yet another reason to turn off all your devices when you go to bed. You will not only sleep better but you may even live longer.

Now, let’s move on to this weeks episode on how to make our urban areas more sustainable.

On a global basis approximately 55% of people live in urban areas. In the United States that is closer to 81%. This trend is due to a variety of factors including concentrated economic opportunities and the fact that cities serve as the engines of the national economy, accounting for a large share of the national gross domestic product.

That said, urbanization has a down side. Such a process reshapes land, people, and resource allocation. Urbanization may drive economic growth, opportunity, and innovation- rapid, poorly planned and poorly managed urban growth drives major environmental impacts.

For example:

🏡 Environmental Impacts of Suburban Living

1. High Transportation Emissions

Suburbs are built around car dependency.

❗ Why it’s harmful:

•  Long commutes are common (urban job centers ↔ suburban homes).
•  Few transit options → nearly every adult must own a car.
•  Multiple cars per household is the norm.
•  Most errands require driving—schools, groceries, medical visits.

💨 Environmental consequences:

•  High per-capita carbon emissions
•  Air pollution (NOx, PM2.5, ozone)
•  Congested road networks and traffic-related emissions

Transportation is usually the single largest footprint of suburban life.

2. Land Consumption and Habitat Loss

Suburbs spread people over large areas in low-density patterns.

❗ Why it’s harmful:

•  Large lots and wide streets consume more land per person.
•  Natural habitats (forests, wetlands, grasslands) are converted into lawns and housing.
•  Wildlife corridors are fragmented, reducing biodiversity.

🌱 Environmental consequences:

•  Decline in native species
•  Increase in human–wildlife conflicts
•  Loss of carbon-sequestering landscapes
•  Loss of pollinator habitat

Suburban sprawl is one of the biggest contributors to habitat fragmentation in North America.

3. High Home Energy Use

Suburban houses are typically:

•  Larger
•  Detached
•  Less energy-efficient
•  Less shaded (fewer trees, larger roofs)

❗ Environmental impact:

•  Greater heating and cooling needs
•  Higher electricity consumption
•  More materials required for construction and maintenance
•  Greater embodied carbon in homebuilding

A suburban home can use 2–3× more energy than an urban apartment.

4. Water Use and Pollution

Suburbs alter natural water systems.

☔ Problems include:

•  Long driveways, roads, and roofs increase impervious surfaces → more stormwater runoff
•  Runoff carries fertilizers, pesticides, and oil into waterways
•  Large lawns require heavy irrigation in many regions
•  Irrigation stresses local watersheds and adds additional pollution due to the chemicals used on the lawn.

💧 Outcome:

•  Water pollution (phosphorus, nitrogen, herbicides)
•  Algal blooms in lakes and rivers
•  Declining groundwater levels
•  Strain on municipal water systems

5. Excessive Waste Generation

Suburban households tend to produce more waste because of:

•  More space → more stuff
•  Greater consumption of packaged goods
•  Higher rates of food waste
•  Fewer shared or communal resources (no shared appliances, tool libraries, etc.)

🚮 Environmental effects:

•  Larger landfill footprint
•  More methane emissions
•  Increased waste collection fuel use

6. Loss of Agricultural Land

Suburban expansion often occurs on prime farmland.

❗ Why that matters:

•  Reduces local food production
•  Increases reliance on imported foods
•  Raises food miles and supply-chain emissions
•  Degrades soil and replaces it with construction fill

Farmland loss is one of the most direct environmental costs of suburban development.

7. Car-Centric Infrastructure Emissions

Suburbs require massive amounts of infrastructure because everything is spread out.

This includes:

•  Miles of extra roads
•  Water pipes
•  Sewer lines
•  Power lines
•  Streetlights

🌍 Environmental consequences:

•  High material use (concrete, asphalt, steel)
•  Large construction emissions
•  High maintenance emissions
•  Increased risk of heat islands due to asphalt coverage

8. Consumer Culture and Material Footprint

Suburban life often encourages:

•  Frequent shopping
•  Owning more belongings
•  Large homes to fill
•  Multiple fridges/freezers, large garages, storage units
•  Heavy appliance use

This translates into:

•  Higher embodied carbon
•  Higher waste output
•  More energy use
•  Larger ecological footprint

9. Reduced Community Resilience

Suburbs are less resilient to climate impacts because they:

•  Depend on distant job centers
•  Depend on long supply chains
•  Lack local food systems
•  Have weak public transportation
•  Are vulnerable to fuel price spikes

Environmental disruptions can hit suburbs harder than cities or self-sufficient rural areas.

🌿 Summary: Why Suburbs Are Often the Least Sustainable

Suburban sustainability suffers because of high population density, heavy car reliance, large resource-hungry homes, and land-intensive development.

Suburbs → highest emissions, highest land consumption, highest resource use

Rural areas → potential for regenerative land management and self-sufficiency

🌍 Summary

Urbanization damages the environment by driving:

•  🌳 Habitat loss & biodiversity decline
•  🚱 Water depletion & pollution
•  🌫️ Air pollution & health impacts
•  ⚡ High energy use & emissions
•  ♻️ Excessive waste & resource consumption

Now, on the other hand, you may think that since urbanization causes such significant environment impact, maybe it is better to live in a rural area. Well, not so fast. As you will see, rural living has a downside as well.

🌱 Which is More Sustainable? It Depends.

🌾 Potential Environmental Benefits of Rural Living

1. Closer Connection to Natural Systems

•  Many rural residents grow some of their own food, compost, and rely on natural resources more directly.
•  Less reliance on long industrial supply chains reduces “food miles” and packaging waste.

2. Lower Population Density

•  Less crowding reduces strain on local air and water systems.
•  Rural areas often have cleaner air and more access to green space, improving both environmental and human health.

3. Opportunities for Renewable Energy

•  More land for solar panels, small wind turbines, and biomass systems.
•  Easier to integrate sustainable housing (passive solar, rainwater harvesting, gray water systems).

4. Potential for Regenerative Practices

•  Rural living often supports sustainable agriculture, reforestation, and biodiversity restoration on private land.
•  Community-led stewardship projects (pollinator habitats, native replanting) can directly restore ecosystems.

🏭 Environmental Drawbacks of Rural Living

1. Transportation Footprint

•  Long distances to work, school, or shops mean car dependency and higher fuel consumption. And by the way, once I realized that my means of transportation was by far my greatest environmental footprint, I managed to reduce my commuting by at least 60%
•  Rural residents often drive more miles per person than city dwellers.

2. Infrastructure Inefficiency

•  Lower population density makes it harder to provide energy-efficient infrastructure (public transit, waste systems, water treatment).
•  Rural homes may rely on septic tanks, wood burning, or diesel generators, which can pollute if not managed well.

3. Land and Resource Use

•  Large properties, livestock, and crop production require significant land, water, and fertilizers.
•  Poor land management can lead to soil erosion, deforestation, and habitat loss.

4. Limited Recycling and Waste Options

•  Rural areas often lack comprehensive waste collection and recycling systems.
•  Burning or dumping waste can release pollutants.

⚖️ Urban vs. Rural: The Tradeoff

Aspect

Urban Living

Rural Living

Energy Efficiency

High (dense housing, shared infrastructure)

Often low (individual systems)

Transportation

Public transit, walkability

Car-dependent

Food Systems

Imported, packaged

Locally grown possible

Green Space

Limited

Abundant

Pollution

Air, noise, waste

Lower density but more diffuse

Community Impact

Scalable solutions

Local stewardship possible

Urban living is generally more sustainable when:

•  Cities are compact, walkable, and transit-oriented
•  Residents use public transport or active transportation such as cycling
•  Apartments are energy-efficient
•  People consume fewer goods and reduce food waste

Overall urban per-capita emissions are often lower.

Rural living is more sustainable when:

•  Residents generate their own energy
•  Practice regenerative agriculture or permaculture
•  Reduce reliance on long commutes
•  Grow or locally source food
•  Manage land responsibly

Rural households can be extremely sustainable when designed intentionally.

🌿 The Bottom Line

Urban sustainability = efficiency
Rural sustainability = self-sufficiency and regeneration

Both environments can be sustainable—or unsustainable—depending on choices, infrastructure, and community systems.

But since this trend toward urbanization is going to continue, how can the suburbs become more sustainable?

Suburbs are the least efficient yet this is where the greatest majority of people live.

Why Is This Important?

Let me take a few moments to explain a little bit about this trend toward urbanization and this will help you to understand why this is so important.

1. What Urbanization Means

Urbanization is the increasing concentration of populations in cities, transforming societies from predominantly rural and agricultural to predominantly urban and industrial/service-oriented. This shift has been happening for more than a century but has accelerated dramatically in recent decades.

2. The Scale of the Trend

•  The world crossed a major threshold in 2007, when—for the first time—more people lived in cities than in rural areas.
•  Today, over half of humanity lives in urban areas, and projections estimate that by 2050, nearly 70% of the global population will be urban.

3. Main Drivers of the Urbanization Trend

A. Economic Opportunity

Cities tend to offer:

•  More job options
•  Higher wages
•  Access to diverse industries
•  Entrepreneurship opportunities

Urban regions often become economic engines due to industry clustering, innovation, and investment.

B. Improved Access to Services

People move to cities for:

•  Education
•  Healthcare
•  Reliable transportation
•  Digital connectivity
•  Cultural and social services

Urban areas generally provide greater public infrastructure that is difficult to maintain in sparsely populated rural areas.

C. Mechanization and Decline of Rural Labor Demand

Rural areas—especially farming—require less human labor due to:

•  Agricultural mechanization
•  Improved technology
•  Larger industrial farms

This reduces opportunities for rural employment, pushing people toward urban areas.

D. Demographic Momentum

Cities attract young people, and:

•  Young adults have higher birth rates
•  Urban populations grow faster once established

E. Globalization and Market Integration

As economies become globally linked, cities emerge as:

•  Trade hubs
•  Centers of finance and logistics
•  Innovation hotspots

This shifts national investment toward urban areas.

4. Consequences of the Urbanization Trend

Positive Outcomes

•  More efficient use of resources through density (public transit, utilities, compact housing)
•  Greater access to education and healthcare
•  Opportunities for innovation and cultural exchange
•  Higher overall economic productivity

Negative Outcomes

•  Urban sprawl and loss of surrounding farmland
•  Rising housing costs and homelessness
•  Traffic congestion and air pollution
•  Expansion of informal settlements or slums
•  Increased strain on water, energy, and waste systems
•  Heat-island effects that intensify climate impacts

Cities can become resource-intensive and pollution-heavy if not well planned.

5. Why Urbanization Will Continue

Urbanization is a self-reinforcing loop:

1.  People move to cities to access opportunities.
2.  Growing populations attract more investment and infrastructure.
3.  Investment creates even more jobs and opportunities.
4.  More people move in.

Additionally:

•  Rural birthrates are declining.
•  Climate change is making some rural livelihoods harder (drought, crop loss).
•  Cities are becoming centers of technological and economic growth.

6. The Future of Urbanization

The next decades will bring:

•  Mega-cities (10+ million people) continuing to grow
•  Medium-sized cities absorbing most of the population increase
•  A push toward sustainable, green, low-carbon urban design
•  More climate migration toward urban areas

Urbanization is now one of the defining demographic and social mega-trends of the 21st century. Yet, it is by far one of the most environmentally damaging ways in which we can live. So, this begs the question of how are we supposed to change that and make our urban and suburban areas more efficient, less resource intensive and more sustainable.

🧠 Core Idea

Urbanization isn't the problem — unplanned, uncontrolled, and resource-intensive urbanization is.

Sustainable cities can reduce environmental damage using:

•  Public transit and walkable design
•  Green buildings and clean energy
•  Nature-based infrastructure (parks, green roofs, wetlands)
•  Circular waste systems
•  Local food systems and urban farms

🌱 Making Suburban Areas More Sustainable

Suburban areas often have higher environmental impacts than dense cities or compact rural towns because of car-dependent design, larger homes, more land consumption, and resource-intensive lifestyles.
But suburbs also hold enormous potential: space for solar, room for gardens, and the ability to retrofit neighborhoods toward greener, healthier living.

1. 🌞 Clean Energy & Efficient Homes

➤ Install Solar on Homes

Suburban rooftops are typically ideal for solar. Widespread rooftop solar can dramatically reduce grid demand.

➤ Promote Home Energy Retrofits

•  High-efficiency insulation
•  Heat pumps for heating/cooling
•  Smart thermostats
•  Energy-efficient windows

➤ Community Solar Projects

For renters or shaded roofs, shared solar fields allow whole neighborhoods to benefit.

2. 🚶‍♂️🚲 Transportation Transformation

Suburbs are built around cars, which is the largest emissions source in suburban life. Solutions include:

➤ Build walkable “15-minute” hubs

Adding small commercial centers—groceries, clinics, cafes—within walking/biking distance reduces car use.

➤ Safe bike lanes & multi-use paths

Well-designed trails linking homes to schools and amenities greatly increase active transportation.

➤ Electrify transportation

•  EV charging stations in every neighborhood
•  Electric buses and shuttles
•  School bus electrification
•  Incentives for e-bikes and cargo bikes

➤ Better public transit

Express buses, on-demand shuttles, and improved scheduling make transit viable even in spread-out areas.

3. 🌳 Land Use, Green Space & Biodiversity

Suburban landscapes can shift from aesthetic lawns to productive, biodiverse spaces.

➤ Replace lawns with climate-friendly landscapes

•  Native plants
•  Pollinator gardens
•  Drought-resistant landscaping (“xeriscaping”)

This saves water and restores biodiversity.

➤ Community gardens & edible landscaping

Fruit trees and shared garden plots reduce food miles and strengthen community resilience.

➤ Tree planting and canopy restoration

Tree canopy reduces urban heat, improves air quality, and lowers energy use in homes.

4. ♻️ Waste Reduction & Sustainable Consumption

➤ Composting systems

Curbside composting dramatically reduces landfill methane and gives residents nutrient-rich soil.

➤ Enhanced recycling

Provide standardized bins, reduce contamination, and offer education on proper sorting.

➤ Tool libraries and repair cafés

Fewer purchases, more sharing → lower consumption and waste.

➤ Reduce packaging waste

Encourage refill stations, bulk buying programs, and local plastic-free stores.

5. 💧 Water Efficiency & Stormwater Management

➤ Rain gardens & bioswales

These capture stormwater, prevent flooding, and filter pollutants before they reach waterways.

➤ Rainwater harvesting

Barrels or cisterns reduce strain on municipal water and irrigate gardens.

➤ High-efficiency appliances

Low-flow toilets, efficient showerheads, and smart irrigation systems dramatically reduce water use.

6. 🛍️ Local Food & Circular Communities

Suburbs can move toward more localized, circular food and production systems:

➤ Suburban agriculture

Raised beds, greenhouses, micro-farms, community-supported agriculture.

➤ Local farmers’ markets

Shorter supply chains → fewer emissions and stronger local economy.

➤ Food sharing & food recovery programs

Community fridges, gleaning networks, and donation programs reduce waste and hunger.

7. 🏡 Rethinking Community Design & Policy

Sustainable change often begins with local planning decisions.

➤ Mixed-use zoning

Allows shops, services, and small businesses in residential areas.

➤ Infill development

Build within existing areas instead of expanding outward (reducing sprawl).

➤ Smaller homes & accessory dwelling units (ADUs)

More efficient use of land, lower energy use, more affordable housing.

➤ Green building incentives

Tax credits and rebates for solar, heat pumps, insulation, and electric appliances.

8. 🤝 Community Engagement & Behavioral Shifts

➤ Neighborhood sustainability groups

Organize tree planting, garden sharing, tool swaps, repair days, and educational workshops.

➤ School programs

School gardens, native landscaping, composting, and sustainability clubs.

➤ Climate-friendly lifestyle campaigns

Encourage active transport, plant-based diets, and low-waste habits.

🌎 The Big Picture

Transforming the suburbs into sustainable communities is not only possible—it’s already happening in pockets around the world. With relatively small changes in design, behavior, and policy, suburban areas can become:

•  more energy-efficient
•  less car-dependent
•  more biodiverse
•  healthier
•  more resilient to climate change
•  less resource-intensive

Suburban sustainability is a critical—often overlooked—piece of achieving national environmental goals.

🌍 Balanced Perspective

•  Urban living can be more sustainable if cities are designed well—dense, efficient, powered by clean energy, and full of green spaces.
•  Rural living can be more harmonious with nature if individuals live regeneratively—using renewables, conserving resources, and protecting biodiversity.

✨ The best path forward blends both: sustainable cities surrounded by thriving rural communities — each supporting the other through clean energy, local food systems, and environmental stewardship.

🌍 Conclusion

🏡 Rural living is gentler on the land if sustainable practices are prioritized.
🏙️ Urban living can be greener overall if cities are designed efficiently.

So, as you can see, even if you live in a suburban area, your life and lifestyle can be far more sustainable, and in fact, easier than how I choose to live. But once again, it truly comes down to a balanced perspective