Easy being green

I’m not one to lecture on green initiatives.  (That’s my sister’s department.)

But I’ve recently realized that my lifestyle is saving the planet.

You’re welcome.

Granted, I didn’t move to New York City for altruistic reasons…not by a long shot.  I’ve wanted to live here since I was eight years old.  I wanted to be close to the center of television and publishing and Broadway and — let’s face it — the universe.

But it turns out that city dwellers like myself are living far greener lives than our country counterparts.

It’s true.

You maybe surrounded by Mother Nature, but we city folk typically don’t own cars, so we walk and use public transportation to get around.  We also live in much smaller homes and apartments, which means we use less energy — about one-half the electricity as our non-city friends. We also generate fewer greenhouse gases.

Don’t take my word for it.  There’s a great book out on the topic –  “Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less Are the Keys to Sustainability” by David Owens.

Heck, this week alone, I took commuter rail to Connecticut and Long Island, took a quick bus trip to Boston, and scooted around Manhattan on the subway and my own two feet.

I know that many rural areas don’t have the public transportation system that New York City enjoys. But, the next time you have that knee-jerk inclination to bemoan our urban areas, remember: the way we live our lives is good for everyone.