A recent study found that urban dwellers are greener, in terms of measurable carbon footprint and are of overall lower impact to the environment than rural or suburban inhabitants. Makes sense when you consider communal portions, condensed personal living space and what I’ll call ”paved paths of access,” meaning, inner-city dependency on public transportation and keeping one on the beaten path means less habitat treading.
The Brookings Institute has released a study this week in which residents of the 100 largest metropolitan areas are shown to produce 14 percent less carbon dioxide emissions per capita than the national average. The reasons for the discrepancy point to population density. As one nears an urban center commute times are shortened, mass transit options are increased, and dwelling spaces get smaller, leading to less individual emissions on average. That’s not to say all cities are created equal. Metro areas in the eastern US were responsible for greater CO2 emissions due to the area’s reliance on coal for electricity generation; they were lower in the West largely because the weather keeps heating costs minimal (for more, see our list of America’s 50 Greenest Cities)
A study shows urban life produces less carbon per capita, but some cities are greener than others
