I like this take on explaining why street grid systems lead to a safer, more resilient city. It's logical, as opposed to a lot of urban designers who just say "it's ugly, we don't like it" or talk about density and paved surface areas.
Sometimes the people who don't care about the environment do care about themselves and their families, and you need to tailor your argument to them. I don't think it's being dishonest, as long as your facts are correct. Tailoring the message to your audience is a basic communication skill.
I also like how traffic is good for business, and narrow streets have fewer accidents. So far I haven't seen a great argument for hiking parking rates or creating pedestrian areas for business, though. It's so risky to own a business, the owners are not going to want to experiment based on what a planner thinks is good for society.
Cul-de-sacs suck, though, and it really is dangerous to only have a main road in and out of an area. I love being able to take side streets to avoid traffic, buses, garbage trucks, construction, etc. I have like 20 routes home depending on what variables are in play.
Designing Streets for Emergencies | Medill National Security Zone
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