Easy Green: Country vs. City for Ecofriendly Lifestyles
Urbanites, take heart: You've got some green advantages over your country cousins
It's easy to idealize the country as the perfect place for living a green lifestyle, with fresh, clean air and plenty of room to live off the land. And while those features are certainly there (and quite appealing for some), the surprising part is, there are great ecofriendly lifestyle options that go along with urban and suburban or rural living. Find out here how to take advantage of all that your own area has to offer, no matter where you live.
Use your land to the max. With ample property and distant neighbors, in the country you can grow much of your own fruit and veggies, or even (depending on zoning laws) keep livestock. Being able to pick beans and lettuces for dinner and collect fresh eggs at breakfast is eating local at its finest.
The green secret of city living: walkability. Living in a dense urban area offers one distinct advantage over rural neighbors — namely, the ability to walk nearly anywhere. And where you can't reach by foot, it's likely you can use public transportation, virtually eliminating the need for a car.
You can even get the Walk Score for your neighborhood, which takes into account things like proximity to markets, parks, shops and restaurants. Fort Greene, Brooklyn, where this home shown is, scores a 98: "Walker's Paradise."
Read more about neighborhood walkability
You can even get the Walk Score for your neighborhood, which takes into account things like proximity to markets, parks, shops and restaurants. Fort Greene, Brooklyn, where this home shown is, scores a 98: "Walker's Paradise."
Read more about neighborhood walkability
Embrace a lack of space. Living in a tiny city flat makes it easier to buy less stuff. So the next time you find yourself bemoaning the lack of a decent kitchen or full-size closet, you can at least be reassured that you are doing your part to conserve resources. After all, small spaces not only take less stuff to fill, but they also require less energy to heat and cool, and use less water than larger homes.
Get creative with urban gardens. City neighborhoods are seeing edible gardens springing up everywhere from rooftops and fire escapes to postage stamp backyards and community spaces. Greening up the city is a wonderful way to eat local, to be sure, but less obviously, it is also a boost to air quality. Even if you have room for only a few pots on the balcony or windowsill, choosing to add a few potted edibles can make a difference, adding fresh air to your home and fresh greens to your table.
Grow vertically in the city. Thanks to innovations like wall pockets (shown here), you can even grow a garden right on your wall, inside or out.
The buzz on bees. Gardens need pollinators, which is why some city dwellers are even choosing to add beehives to their gardens. Bees take up very little space and can provide fresh, local honey to boot.
The buzz on bees. Gardens need pollinators, which is why some city dwellers are even choosing to add beehives to their gardens. Bees take up very little space and can provide fresh, local honey to boot.
Go green in the suburbs. Owning your own single-family home does hold a few advantages over living in apartment buildings and condos: You can make more lasting structural changes without asking permission from a co-op or homeowners association. For a quick addition, try using a rainwater collecting system to store water for use in your garden; or for a bigger investment, you could even have solar panels installed on your house.
Give up some lawn space for a kitchen garden. The edible garden movement is growing by leaps and bounds, and in many suburban areas it's no longer uncommon to see tomatoes and peppers growing in the front yard and expanses of grass given up in favor of raised vegetable beds. A family of four doesn't need a huge garden to provide fresh, local food to supplement regular market trips, so why not give it a try?
Tour this efficient backyard edible garden in Vancouver
Tour this efficient backyard edible garden in Vancouver
Chickens in suburbia. Just because you don't have acreage doesn't mean you can't also do a bit of suburban farming right in your own backyard. Local ordinances vary, so be sure to check with your city before bringing home a backyard flock — and educate yourself on the proper care needed to maintain healthy hens.
Expand your vision of the "homestead." Even if you live in a city or don't like to garden, anyone can freeze and can fresh, seasonal food from the farmer's market. Widen your perspective and the range of changes you can make right where you are.
Tell us: What do you love about where you live? What do you find is easier or harder about going green in your area?
Tell us: What do you love about where you live? What do you find is easier or harder about going green in your area?
• Carpool to work with neighbors
• Send little ones to school on the bus
• Work from home or telecommute part-time
• Cluster errands to reduce time in the car