Greenhouse Gases: Who Uses More Energy—Cities or 'Burbs?

By Whitney Teal

It seems like a no-brainer: People in the cities drive less and live closer to their neighbors, so they're using less energy than folks in the suburbs, right?

But, according to The Atlantic Cities, studies haven't yet decided whether one way of living is inherently more green. In fact, the one type of area that is undeniably hard on the earth is the exburbs—places outside of the suburbs on the very edge of a metropolitan region.

Canadian researchers writing in Energy Policy said:

Those living in commuter belt zones and on the rural fringe have substantially higher greenhouse gas emissions, and particularly higher transport-related direct GHG, which often get overlooked in a policy debate that has focused on an urban (inner-city) versus suburban dichotomy.

Read more about greenhouse gas emissions in cities, suburbs and exburbs on The Atlantic Cities.