Easy Green: Country vs. City for Ecofriendly Lifestyles

It’s easy to idealize the country as the ideal place for living a green lifestyle, with fresh, clean air and plenty of space to live off the property. And while these features are surely there (and quite appealing for some), the surprising part is there are good ecofriendly lifestyle options that go alongside urban and suburban or rural living. Learn here how to make the most of all your own area has to offer, wherever you reside.

B. Jane Gardens

Country living sounds green … but can it be? While there are many advantages to living in the country, one big negative from a green perspective is the fact that you probably need to get in the car to get just about anyplace. If you live in a rural or suburban area, try these measures to minimize auto use:

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

Amy Renea

Use your property to the maximum. With ample property and distant neighbors, in the country you can grow much of your own fruit and veggies, or perhaps (based on zoning laws) keep livestock. Having the ability to select beans and lettuces for supper and gather fresh eggs is eating neighborhood at its best.

John Hill

The green key of town living: walkability. Living in a dense urban area provides one distinct advantage over rural neighbors — especially, the ability to walk nearly everywhere. And where you can not reach by foot, it is likely you can utilize public transportation, virtually eliminating the need for a vehicle.

You can even get the Walk Score for your own neighborhood, that takes into account things like proximity to markets, parks, shops and restaurants. Fort Greene, Brooklyn, in which this house shown is, scores a 98: “Walker’s Paradise.”

Read more about neighborhood walkability

Rossington Architecture

Embrace a lack of space. Living in a very small city apartment makes it a lot easier to buy less material. So the next time you find yourself bemoaning the absence of a nice kitchen or full-size closet, you can at least be reassured that you do your part to conserve resources. After all, little spaces not just take less material to fill, but they also require less energy to heat and cool, and also use less water compared to larger homes.

Tobin + Parnes Design Enterprises

Get creative with urban gardens. City neighborhoods are seeing edible gardens springing up anywhere from rooftops and fire flows to postage stamp backyards and community spaces. Greening up town is a superb way to consume neighborhood, to be sure, but less obviously, it’s also a boost to air quality. Even in the event that you have space for just a few pots on the balcony or windowsill, opting to add some potted edibles are able to really make a difference, including fresh air to your house and fresh greens into your dining table.

Potted

Grow vertically in town. Thanks to innovations like wall sockets (displayed here), you can even develop a garden right in your wall, inside or outside.

The buzz on bees. Gardens need pollinators, which is exactly why some town dwellers are even choosing to add beehives for their gardens. Bees take up very little space and can offer fresh, local honey to boot.

Gardens from Gabriel, Inc..

Go green in the suburbs. Owning your own single-family house does hold a few advantages over residing in apartment buildings and condos: You are able to make more lasting structural modifications 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 on your garden; or to get a larger investment, you could even have solar panels installed in your house.

Aloe Designs

Give up some yard space for a garden. The edible garden motion is increasing by leaps and bounds, and in many suburban areas it is no longer uncommon to see tomatoes and peppers growing in the front yard and expanses of grass given in favour of raised vegetable beds. A family of four does not require a massive 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

Amy Renea

Chickens in suburbia. Just because you do not have acreage does not mean that you can not do a bit of suburban farming right on your backyard. Local ordinances vary, so make sure you check with your town prior to bringing home a backyard flock — and educate yourself on the proper maintenance required to keep healthy hens.

Schwartz and Architecture

Expand your vision of the “homestead.” Even in the event that you reside in a town or do not want to garden, anyone can freeze and can clean, seasonal food by the farmer’s market. Widen your perspective and the range of changes that can be made right where you’re.

Tell us What do you love about where you live? What do you find is harder or easier about going green in your area?

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