> If you build a city full of dense housing, where does all the food and water come from? Or the electricity, furniture, and clothing?
I don't understand your argument. Are you saying that people that don't live in cities don't consume, or consume less of, food, water, electricity, furniture and clothing?
> It's also often the case that externalizing those costs adds even more impact as the product has to be shipped in and the waste shipped back out.
They have to be shipped to fewer places and thus save resources. The only way what you are saying makes any sense is either if shipping things to more places somehow save resources or if people that don't live in cities don't need anything shipped.
I don't understand your argument. Are you saying that people that don't live in cities don't consume, or consume less of, food, water, electricity, furniture and clothing?
> It's also often the case that externalizing those costs adds even more impact as the product has to be shipped in and the waste shipped back out.
They have to be shipped to fewer places and thus save resources. The only way what you are saying makes any sense is either if shipping things to more places somehow save resources or if people that don't live in cities don't need anything shipped.