By Tobias Roberts

Over 80 percent of the United States population lives in urban areas across the county. Making the transition towards a more sustainable society, then, requires us to rethink how our urban areas are organized and structured. Unfortunately, many urban areas have been negatively affected by gentrification and unsustainable planning. Lower-income residents are often left in “food deserts,” where there is extremely limited access to affordable and nutritious food in a general geographical location. Smaller cities often have inadequate public transportation options, and larger cities can be too spread out, discouraging walking, biking, and other alternatives like carbon-free transportation options.