What can be done is to build up areas which are already built up, increase density, and bring people out of sprawl. Preserve areas and leave them untouched, and meanwhile make the most of the areas that we do use.

This is good for humans (far higher economic activity) and good for the environment. We must fight height restrictions, and other sprawl inducing laws. We must have more protected areas. And we need to provide transit options that scale well in dense areas.