Criteria for Growth:

1. Walkable

2. Socially engaging

3. Diverse (both in income and household demographics)

4. Ecologically responsible

5. Affordable (individually & collectively)​

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“I don't want to protect the environment I want to create a world in which the environment doesn't need protecting.”

Unknown

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“We are living on this planet as if we had another one to go to”

Terri Swearingen

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"These neighbourhoods [with single family homes] accomplish several historic feats: They take up more space per person, and they are more expensive to build and operate than any urban form ever constructed. They require more roads for every resident, and more water pipes, more sewers – more power cables, utility wiring, sidewalks, signposts, and landscaping. They cost more for municipalities to maintain. They cost more to protect with emergency services. They pollute more and pour more carbon into the atmosphere. In short, the dispersed city is the most expensive, resource-intense, land gobbling, polluting way of living ever built."

Charles Montgomery, Happy City.

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"...the location of the home is far more important than are the green features of the house itself. This is because urban location and local context (such as the presence of nearby shops and services, schools and employment opportunities, and the presence of walkable, connected streets) determine how much travel occurs and by what mode.”

Pamela Blais, Perverse Cities

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"First, that urbanism – compact and walkable development – will arise naturally if the built-in bias of our current infrastructure investments, financial structures, zoning norms, and public policies is reformed. Second, that such urbanism, when mixed with simple conservation technologies, can have a major impact in reducing carbon emissions and energy demand. Third, that urbanism is the most cost-effective solution to climate change, more so than most renewable technologies. And finally, that urbanism's many collateral benefits – economic, social, and environmental – enhance its desirability and economics. In short, urbanism is the foundation for a low carbon future and is our least-cost option."

Peter Calthrope, Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change.

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“Density means genuinely walkable neighbourhoods that can be effectively served by mass transit and rely less on the car. More to the point, denser living, in smaller homes and with shorter commutes, produces a low-carbon city.”

House Divided; How the Missing Middle Will Solve Toronto's Affordability Crisis

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Assume for argument that weatherization and greening this home [average single-family home in the U.S.] can reduce building energy consumption by 30% and that the family buys new cars with 50% better mileage.  The result is a 32% overall energy reduction -- not bad for "green sprawl".  In contrast, a typical townhome located in a walkable neighbourhood (not necessarily downtown but near transit) without any solar panels for hybrid cars consumes 38% less energy than such a suburban single-family home.  Traditional Urbanism, even without greet technology, is better than green sprawl.  

Peter Calthrope, Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change.

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Calculations are based on the information gathered from the websites listed below. The numbers in our work are based on national averages.

bbc.com

ourwoldindata.org

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CALCULATE YOUR OWN FOOTPRINT:

https://www.footprintcalculator.org/

http://ecologicalfootprint.com/