"Are we becoming a confederation of city-states?"
According to Peter C. Newman we are........
But what I really wanted to comment on is our enthusiastic embracing of "green", which belies our proclivity to consume, consume, consume. Living in the 'burbs requires more energy than either small town living or urban living. The mere construction of suburbs requires more energy (in the form of extended infrastructure - the NIMBY effect) than does urban living or small town living.
The suburbs were formed strictly as a status symbol, and, like lawns of useless grass the suburb signifies prosperity through conspicuous consumption and deliberate waste.
