Defining the Picture of Eco-Suburbia
Sure the landscape of the suburbs seems to be more eco-friendly then cities – you can find more parks, more green space – but “bigger” and “more” also point to America’s bad habit of McMansions and SUVs. Bigger is always better to families in most neighborhoods across the U.S., and this mantra doesn’t add up to a green lifestyle.
In today’s economy the suburbs are seeing more foreclosures, more unemployment and more crime – the burbs are hurting, and though once seen as the perfect place for the green movement to take root, today it’s not such an obvious fit. But if we play our cards right, the fall in the economy could be the kick that suburbanites needed to leave behind the bigger is better lifestyle and go green. Keeping up with the Jones isn’t the main concern for today’s families, because for most of them it’s not an option, this is the time to learn and instill a new lifestyle centered around using only what is necessary and cutting out the overly flashy and meaningless extras.
Towns across America need a makeover, and with a back to basics plan the green movement could breathe new life into suburban communities. Though the green plan for cities doesn’t directly translate to the suburbs, there is one constant: eco-living starts at home.
For now, homeowners are focusing on bringing green elements into their homes in smaller ways. Homes filled with eco appliances and materials that run on solar or wind power are the future of suburbs.
The change doesn’t lie solely home design, for suburbs to be green the entire lifestyle must adjust:
- Eco communities developing in Europe and the U.S. feature eco-structures and programs that encourage neighbors to ride-share, garden communally and share renewable energy
- European co-housing communities put a suburban spin on the city’s multifamily housing, or apartments and town homes
Even with options like these becoming more mainstream, some are skeptic that the suburbs will ever become as green as cities. The transformation to green will be much more difficult for suburbs then cities, and it will take completely new thinking.
What do you envision when you think about green suburbs?
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Tags: co-housing, eco communities, eco-friendly cities, eco-homes, green homes, green lifestyle, green suburbs, multifamily housing
