Transition Sheffield - Discussion Forum

'Green Metropolis' is the title of a book, with interesting reviews here and here. in which the author compares the green credentials of the average Manhattanite with the average suburban American, and notices that

Manhattan is by far the greenest place in America

The subtitle is 'Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less are the Keys to Sustainability'
Well, I am sure that he is not taking all factors into account, but given that using a car is one of the biggest contributions individuals make to CO2 emissions and that Manhattanites don't as a rule use cars, I think he has a point. I have been to Manhattan, and I think there is more potential to 'green' Manhattan then the sprawling freeway dominated typical American city. This is probably true of most cities elsewhere in the Western world as well, including here in the UK.
I also commented on this subject in the 'Can a City be Sustainable' strand here.
If 'Transition Sheffield' is to mean anything, we have to believe that cities not only can be sustainable, but can be more sustainable than having us all spread out. As the author points out:

Environmental groups should focus on “intelligently organizing the places where people are,” instead of where they aren’t.

Interesting subject both here and the previous thread.

I guess for me one question is what role will people in cities play? What will they do? Currently the main role is to exchange goods and services which is essential for a society that is based on rampant consumerism. If we look beyond consumerism what function to society will all these densely populated areas fulfill?