Simplifying in the Suburbs?

I live in the Suburbs of Salt Lake City, though not as far as I used to. I was in Sandy, now I'm living closer to the city. I've decided (and I could be wrong) that the suburbs are the least simple place to live.
If you live in the country, you can raise your own food, send your kids out to roam, forget about doing a lot of shopping and connect with the environment. In the city, you can walk to most places and your life is likely to take place in a relatively small radius from where you live. And there is public transportation. There are so many things to do and they are so close! But in the 'burbs you pretty much need a car. There aren't a lot of cultural experiences within walking distance. For most, the nature they see has been planted by someone.
But I'd like to do a little experiment. I'd like to see how I can simplify my life in the suburbs. So I will start looking for ways to simplify my life and my families life. I will start looking for resources that are close to us. I would like to see if I can prove my theory of the suburbs as un-simple wrong. And if I can remember to, I will tell you about it.