I don’t think vast suburban single family home housing developments, big box store parking lots and Wendys drive thrus are the drivers of technological development you’re making them out to be.
The overwhelming majority of environmental degradation is not being caused by cutting edge technological development. Wasteful and destructive development patterns are not what’s driving technological growth.
I'd say they're interconnected. Quality of life may help people be more productive or attract more productive people. Plenty of technology goes into consumer goods and services, and is sort of what the whole point of technological development is - making people's lives better. Also, the car industry was/is full of cutting edge technology and was enhanced by car-friendly housing and roads. It was a major factor in America industrializing in the first place.
The overwhelming majority of environmental degradation is not being caused by cutting edge technological development. Wasteful and destructive development patterns are not what’s driving technological growth.