(Sub)urban Sprawl: American Dream, Ecological Nightmare
Good morning! Tomorrow I'll be giving a presentation discussing sprawl (urban and suburban sprawl are essentially synonyms) and its effects on the environment around us, our socioeconomic structure, and our personal health. What can we do about these horrors? Positive expansion can find footing through multiple methods, we'll be discussing high-density alternatives and steps taken towards eco-city living,.
Why should we explore positive expansion? Sprawl has been shown to have much higher air pollution per capita, result from and promote classist and racial segregation, and decimate natural populations of organisms. We'll be discussing how each of these are affected by sprawl, though sprawl is by no means the sole cause of any.
Some discussion questions I'll put forward (though I welcome any others of course):
Considering ecological, social, and health impacts of sprawl, should we place more value on alternative expansions?
If so, which alternative should we be funneling money into? (Density = greater access to amenities and less automobile reliance, Ecocity = much greater biodiversity and lower heating/cooling costs)
Does the burden of alternative expansion fall solely upon government legislature and funding?
Do you and I, as citizens, have any means or obligations to personally promote positive expansion?
If we pursue positive expansion, there are certainly sacrifices. Some of which would be: a loss of a personal "yard"; lower control of organisms, including "pests"; living conditions are less individualistic, more community-based; and potentially the loss of the convenient personal automobile. Are these sacrifices justified, and are we comfortable compromising freedoms for ecological, social, and health improvements?
Why should we explore positive expansion? Sprawl has been shown to have much higher air pollution per capita, result from and promote classist and racial segregation, and decimate natural populations of organisms. We'll be discussing how each of these are affected by sprawl, though sprawl is by no means the sole cause of any.
Some discussion questions I'll put forward (though I welcome any others of course):
Considering ecological, social, and health impacts of sprawl, should we place more value on alternative expansions?
If so, which alternative should we be funneling money into? (Density = greater access to amenities and less automobile reliance, Ecocity = much greater biodiversity and lower heating/cooling costs)
Does the burden of alternative expansion fall solely upon government legislature and funding?
Do you and I, as citizens, have any means or obligations to personally promote positive expansion?
If we pursue positive expansion, there are certainly sacrifices. Some of which would be: a loss of a personal "yard"; lower control of organisms, including "pests"; living conditions are less individualistic, more community-based; and potentially the loss of the convenient personal automobile. Are these sacrifices justified, and are we comfortable compromising freedoms for ecological, social, and health improvements?
Southern States are disproportionately guilty of "sprawling" despite being an ecological hotspot. There are multiple reasons for this (historically agrarian, poorer regions, etc.) and there is no easy answer, but how could we promote positive expansion in southern states?
I look forward to discussing this topic with everyone!
This is such an interesting topic, Matthew! I'm excited to learn more about it from you as I've seen this phenomenon up close. I'm a Nashville native and watching a lot of our urban areas take up so much green space has raised a lot of concern. Really excited to learn more!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your presentation, Matthew! I am not well versed in these types of issues, so I definitely interested in learning more! Surely there is a way to adequately address housing and other needs of potential and current residents while also protecting the environment and respecting the biodiversity that live there.
ReplyDeleteGood report! And you've given me some ideas for Environmental Ethics in the Fall. Thinking about "Place" as a theme: how to live sustainably in our places, how to value them, how to make them more navigable and more humane etc. Wendell Berry offers an interesting perspective on this theme. Any other source suggestions, anyone?
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