The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines sprawl as “to spread or develop irregularly or without restraint” . This describes the problematic and reckless nature of urban sprawl. Uncontrolled urban growth increases pollution on the environment for a number of reasons. Due to a greater percentage of the workforce commuting from the outskirts of an urban center to their work, there is an increase in the volume of vehicles on the road, resulting in greater air pollution. Also, the amount of asphalt being paved decreases the natural landscape to deter the damaging affects of rainwater run off, as well as other problems associated with pavement. Lastly, with the increase of residential housing, concerns pertaining to the proper waste disposal are involved.
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Suburbs are associated with higher levels of driving, which led to larger quantities of air pollution due to increased volume of cars. This pollution leads to environmentally caused illness, and potentially death. This means that the amount of air pollution will increase in relation to the increase in urbanization. In the United States, cars and trucks create approximately 30% of hydrocarbon emissions, as well as 30% of oxides of nitrogen that are found in the atmosphere. This increase in pollution, and vehicle usage, is due to the change in society’s lifestyles resulting from urban sprawl. In an eighteen-year period the percentage of people living in cities grew from 73.8 to 77.2 per cent . This increase in urban sprawl led to a 105.66% increase in greenhouse gas emissions caused by the construction of residential housing . The problem of North American urban sprawl is affecting more than just the air pollution, it is affecting the hydrological systems of cities as …show more content…
In undeveloped grasslands, only 4% of rainfall is lost to runoff, compared to suburban land which has 15% of rainfall lost to run off. This changes ecosystems that were previously undisturbed until the proliferation of urban sprawl. This also has a negative effect on the wildlife that previously occupied the space. A second problem with paved roads and their affect on rainfall runoff is that run off gathers speed once it enters the storm sewer system. When these large volumes of fast moving, water leave the storm drains in to the wild, this large volume of water erodes the banks of creeks and rivers . This causes preventable strain to the landscape surrounding drainage areas, due to the uncontrolled expansion of urban centers. Finally, pavement in regions of urban sprawl have led to increased temperatures in the lower atmosphere due to the heat storage properties of concrete . As seen in Table 1 of Takashi and Thanh’s article “Heat Storage of Pavement and its Effect on the Lower Atmosphere” the heat storage properties of concrete is 42.25 times greater than that of dry soil . In addition to the over-paving of North American suburbs, sprawl negatively effects the removal of
Suburbs are associated with higher levels of driving, which led to larger quantities of air pollution due to increased volume of cars. This pollution leads to environmentally caused illness, and potentially death. This means that the amount of air pollution will increase in relation to the increase in urbanization. In the United States, cars and trucks create approximately 30% of hydrocarbon emissions, as well as 30% of oxides of nitrogen that are found in the atmosphere. This increase in pollution, and vehicle usage, is due to the change in society’s lifestyles resulting from urban sprawl. In an eighteen-year period the percentage of people living in cities grew from 73.8 to 77.2 per cent . This increase in urban sprawl led to a 105.66% increase in greenhouse gas emissions caused by the construction of residential housing . The problem of North American urban sprawl is affecting more than just the air pollution, it is affecting the hydrological systems of cities as …show more content…
In undeveloped grasslands, only 4% of rainfall is lost to runoff, compared to suburban land which has 15% of rainfall lost to run off. This changes ecosystems that were previously undisturbed until the proliferation of urban sprawl. This also has a negative effect on the wildlife that previously occupied the space. A second problem with paved roads and their affect on rainfall runoff is that run off gathers speed once it enters the storm sewer system. When these large volumes of fast moving, water leave the storm drains in to the wild, this large volume of water erodes the banks of creeks and rivers . This causes preventable strain to the landscape surrounding drainage areas, due to the uncontrolled expansion of urban centers. Finally, pavement in regions of urban sprawl have led to increased temperatures in the lower atmosphere due to the heat storage properties of concrete . As seen in Table 1 of Takashi and Thanh’s article “Heat Storage of Pavement and its Effect on the Lower Atmosphere” the heat storage properties of concrete is 42.25 times greater than that of dry soil . In addition to the over-paving of North American suburbs, sprawl negatively effects the removal of