Single speed transportation bicycles are extremely common where there aren't significant hills. Internal gear hubs have regained significant popularity, too - ranging from 2 to 11 speeds.

Not sure why you're "trashing your gears" so regularly. Older cassettes/chains didn't like being shifted under significant power but anything made in the last 20+ years by SRAM or Shimano or Campagnolo really shouldn't have a problem being shifted while full-on sprinting.