But What Does That Mean For Me?

I've done some online surfing and found that a lot of the alternative building material homes are either in remote places or in communes.  This just does not seem practical for most people.  I understand that the reason for this is all the regulations on building. 

But how do most people incorporate these methods into their daily living?

How do people who enjoy city life use these ideas?  Installing a "green" water heater doesn't seem to go far enough. But moving out in the middle of nowhere is not going to happen on a large scale. Not sure where this leaves us.

Just ordered another (yes, another!) book:  The Natural House: A Complete Guide to Healthy, Energy-Efficient, Environmental Homes.  Hoping this gives me some ideas!