Sick of Commuting, More Want Homes Close to Work

One in five homeowners plans to move in the next five years, and 43% want to live closer to work this time -- 10% more than last year, according to Copley's News Service. People, in other words, are sick of the traffic, sick of the gasoline prices, sick of lost time lonely in the car. They are sick of commuting. And that's a very good thing for the fight to staunch global warming pollution.

Why? Sprawl is a big contributor to global warming. Rather than work, shop, go to school and play all in a few miles from home, most suburban Americans have to drive far for daily chores and necessities. That drives up fuel use and pollution, and takes time away from the things that really matter -- unless, that is, your dashboard really matters to you. That's why a growing number of communities and builders are embracing a concept variously called "smart growth," "new urbanism," "transit-oriented development" or "20-minute living."

The idea is to build in a way that is reminiscent of centuries past, when villages were built around central squares, and everything was in walking distance. Cars aren't as important in communities like that, neighbors are more apt to know each other and waistlines are even easier to control, given the mileage that was once driven is more apt to be walked.

Unfortunately, this ideal is still not what most home owners desire. According to the same survey, 65% want a single-family home -- suggesting that the old American dream of a house in the country, with a little acre of heaven in the backyard, is still an idea with a lot of cultural currency. Until a new American dream overtakes it -- or alternative fueled cars revolutionize transportation -- that will mean suburban sprawl, and greenhouse gas pollution.

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