Cool images from the Center for Neighborhood Technology show that people who live in dense urban areas—downtown San Francisco, the denser parts of LA, or the Chicago city core—emit less climate-warming emissions from cars and trucks. See for yourself:
I’m showing San Francisco above because it’s closest to the Northwest, but I think the Chicago map is coolest..
The simple explanation for the pattern is that people who live in denser neighborhoods—places where stores, services, and jobs tend to be a short drive away, or even within walking distance—simply drive less. City dwellers also tend to drive smaller cars, which helps, too—see, e.g., this pdf.
Arie v. says:
I hate to say it, but I wish I could afford to stay in a “cool” zone. It would be interesting to overlay this with affordability data.
tom says:
Arie V.: I don’t mean to make any assumptions about your situation, but affordability is very relative. I know a lot of people wealthier than me who say they cannot afford to live in the center core of Seattle. But I live and own downtown—in a 650 sq. ft. condo, without a car, and I don’t have children. It is not simply a matter of personal wealth—it is also a matter of priorities and how willing you are to make certain sacrifices (in exchange for the benefits) to live in a “cool zone”.