Green acres: "a family that lives in the urban core [of a city] has about a 50% smaller carbon footprint than a similar-sized family in a distant suburb." More info and links to interactive maps: http://on.freep.com/KkoeBv
My smart-ass comment:
Let's all live in the city then! In fact let's lay ASPHALT and concrete all over the earth, that surely will KEEP BALANCE ON THIS PLANET. This is such a stupid statistic to make people in the city FEEL better.
I decided to write my own response:
The fact is I prefer a log cabin burning wood for heat hidden in acres of woods, organic fields and orchards -- if you think about it this only sustainable and RENEWABLE way to live. Cities destroy this Earth like cancer.
How do you know that you are doing things eco-correctly?
1) build a house from rocks, adobe and logs that grow in your woods. Trees take 30 years to regrow, house lasts 100, or more, if you are smart the logs you harvest will not make a dent in the forrest
2) don't buy much of any fuels, wood from the forest, solar energy, wind and geothermal should be more that enough
3) If you don't have deer, wolves and bears visiting your property then you are FOOLING yourself into believing you are close to nature
4) one deer, or wild pig can provide a "grass fed, organic" meat for a year; Hunt, do not let animals suffer nasty life in cages so you can buy sub-standard meat from the store
5) do your job via telecommuting if you are in white-collar sector, it is possible, I have done it for years
6) try to grow at least some fruits and veggies you will eat. The grains (which you should not eat in the first place) are better farmed on massive scale
7) drink water from your own well, if tested, you will be healthier, there are minerals in it that missing in distilled (non-premium) bottled water
8) compost, do not dump the waste into pipes going outside of your property. Do not let pigs forage in places where human waste was recycled as this circulates the parasites.
9) use reusable glass, ceramic and steel containers, not plastic disposables - recycling is largely a myth
10) think what you NEED for happy life, not what you want. You can be HAPPY in smaller house, with less stuff. Spend more time on HOBBIES with friends over wine, or beer YOU made, instead impulsive shopping for things you do not need just to make yourself feel better.
11) Have less children: 2 people should try not to raise more than 2 for the sake of the future generations, the math is simple, overpopulation is a major problem we are facing as far as area available, food supply, water supply, energy needs, etc. (see WIKI image below)
source: wikipedia
12) If you have to drive to work 50 miles each way you should consider changing job, or where you live, but don't get fooled that by living in the city you are saving ANYTHING, you are killing this planet.
I know MOST OF US are not able to achieve the above, but if you are serious about our legacy you should start preparing and heading that direction.
