MOLI VIEW™

In the past few months, I've had another reason to feel better about not living in the suburbs. My usual reason is that I grew up in the burbs – Stamford, Conn., to be exact – and I'm still traumatized by its ‘broad lawns and narrow minds.' And now, although New York City can seem like the most expensive place on earth, the suburbs suddenly don't seem like such a bargain.

Sure, I pay $3000 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. But my heating bill is zero, my electricity bill is usually about $50 and my transportation costs rarely top $30 a week, including a taxi or two. (I do own a car, but it's more of a hobby than a mode of transportation.) And although my rent and living expenses will go up, as everyone's do, they're not increasing nearly as quickly as those of people who live in the suburbs, who have big houses to heat and big cars to drive.

Fact is, amid its dirt and grime, New York City is relatively green, since most people use public transportation, take taxis for relatively short distances and live in large buildings that don't cost much to heat. Newer fancier exurbs, with their McMansions and SUVs, may be full of gardens and green spaces, but they're environmental disasters. So much energy is required to heat some of those houses – especially those with grand two-story entryways that allow the heat to rise – and they're so far away from anything that the people who live in them have to spend a good deal of money on gas. With houses spread so far apart, bicycles and public transportation simply aren't practical.

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