[Karsten]

a rural lifestyle places more strain on the environment than an urban one.

Is that so? Can you explain how?
Thanks in advance.

There are many reasons...

Wow! That lot told me!
However, are these reason as true in, say rural China?

I would guess, if you put two people with the same demands on help by machines in two places - one in a big city, the other in the country - the person in the city will be able to fulfill his demands with less energy overall.

But, yes, it is also a cultural thing. In the USA, people moved to the country because they could afford it and many cities were built for cars not people. The people moved far from work, bought big places that needed lots of maintenance by machines, and built big houses. Cheap oil made that possible and our dependence on the car is depressing. In developing countries moving into the cities seems to be the way out of poverty. Factory work may not be easily found in the country there. It probably was similar in the USA maybe 100 years ago.

On the other hand, but without really knowing their life, the traditional Amish farmer may still live more efficiently than the vast majority of US city dwellers. By choice or by lack of opportunity, "poor" people pollute less than more wealthy people.