A smart growth approach would focus growth in more walkable neighborhoods within existing developed areas, supported through improved public transit options. This and mixed-use development (combining housing, commercial, and other uses) reduces the distances people have to travel. More people are able to accomplish more of their daily activities through easy, local access to shops, services, stores and other amenities, saving time and money. Smart growth also makes providing quality public transit a cost-effective option. It is difficult and costly to provide comprehensive public transit coverage when there is sprawl.
Smart growth means more transportation choices, less dependence on cars as the only way to get around, and less traffic for those that do choose to drive. In other words, it will create a transportation system that works better for everyone. These benefits matter for housing choices as well. People increasingly want to live in walkable mixed-use neighborhoods with strong transit coverage. An analysis by the Urban Land Institute forecasts that by 2035, demand for homes near transit stations will exceed supply in California by four million homes, while the supply of large conventional lot homes will exceed demand by two million homes.
Source: California and Climate Change Planning and Prep | Sustainable Cities Collective
I have found that it is much easier to critique the concept of sustainability when the rhetoric itself is used as justification for the policies and actions that are implemented. In some ways, the use of smart growth in California allows for alternative approaches to traditional problems. However, as can be seen in the above quote, that still does not translate into all approaches.
The smart growth transportation/housing model is interesting because it combines the classic suggestion of less single unit transportation, like cars, and promotes the use of buses and light-rails. Instead of limiting carbon dioxide discussion to cars and buses, this context also situates transportation problems with housing, which is where the article leans more in an alternative approach direction.