Thinking About Suburban Sustainability

My colleagueSandra Garren and I are completing an edited volume on suburban sustainability that will be published by the University Press of Florida next year. The book will contain 17 different chapters, each of which focuses on a range of sustainability issues ranging from environmental justice to greenhouse gas management. It will be the first major book on sustainability in the suburbs ever published. Winding down the book has kept me preoccupied over the last several days (thus the light blogging) over the ways that suburbs can become more sustainable.

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As we point out in the book, sustainability in cities is relatively easy when compared with the suburbs. They have the advantage of a strong central government, a rich treasury, and an engaged population. Suburbs tend to have weak limited government, a modest tax base, and a citizenry that is not all that well informed on sustainability issues. Plus, cities have dense infrastructure that can be subtly tweaked to make big gains. The infrastructure of suburbs sprawls and little tweaks do little things.

Yet, it is important to not discount the suburbs. They cover vast areas of our planet. Indeed, their geographical footprint is much larger than that of cities. Yet, we tend to focus our attention, and in the academic world, our research, on cities. That is why I am so happy this book is coming out at this moment in time when there is a much more comprehensive examination of how we can make our planet more sustainable.

Look for more information about this book in this space closer to when it comes out next year.