Cities: Better for Green Living Than Suburbs

Lawn-covered suburbs seem like they would be more suited to green living than cramped cities. But more people are gravitating to urban areas in the name of ecology.

City dwellers drive less and typically live in smaller homes, which require less energy to heat and cool. Services are usually clustered together, encouraging walking and better use of available land.

Suburban families use three times as much energy as urban families of the same size, according to researchers at the Brookings Institution. Visiting fellow Christopher Leinberger says more people would choose to live in more populated areas if housing was easier to come by. ...