Sustainability Challenges Associated with Urban Dynamics - Essay Example

URBAN SPRAWL Sustainability challenge associated with urban dynamics Introduction Sustainable development is something of considerable concern in the cities and towns of the world at present. Fifty per cent of the people, in the world, live in towns or urban areas (Roger et al, 2009). This population is the most productive population generating about 90% GDP. Urban centers are responsible for about 70% total greenhouse gas emissions. The cities and towns of the world consume the highest percentage of energy- about 60 per cent of energy used in the whole world. Despite the negatives associated with urban centers, there are so many positives brought by these arenas. They are places of socialization, cultural change, and places with immense impact on values, ideas, beliefs, economic growth and social organization. This paper will deal with the sustainability challenge of sprawl in the urban areas. Urban sprawl has become rampant in America, and it is an issue threatening the sustainability of the urban areas. Urban sprawl has characteristics including automobile independent development and low density. In the paper, we will be able to note the current state in urban sprawls and the factors driving this sustainability challenge in the urban centers. The paper will also give the steps necessary for countries to end the problems associated with sprawl. Urban sprawl Urban sprawl did not start recently. It started a long time ago. Here, we find that the rich had a desire to seek the pleasure of living in secluded areas with low population densities. The Chinese and the Romans historically practiced this habit of the rich living in suburbs with protective walls (Karen & J. Marshall, 2009 p 2). The sprawl in cities and towns always occur when the city has reached peak economic growth. Therefore, at first population density in the city center is normally high. As the city develops, this density reduces as people move away from the center due to improved services such transportation. Discussion Causes of urban sprawl Scholars, planners, public officials and community activists have offered many possibilities that cause urban sprawl. These causes include lack of comprehensive planning, rapid population growth, consumer preferences and subsidized infrastructure improvements. Lack of comprehensive planning is one of the principal urban sprawl causes. Poorly planned developments in the outskirts of urban centers often happen due to officials planning in a densely populated urban area without consulting nearby communities (Chiara et al, 2010, p 3). The resultant less densely populated regions demand high expenses for infrastructural development. Rapid population growth is another key factor responsible for urban sprawl especially in the Southern and Western United States regions (Klaufus, 2010, p 5). When the population of a city increases, people will tend to move spreading further from the city centres. When communities in the urban fringes enjoy subsidies of roads, sewers and water from municipalities, unplanned developments easily sprawl in the regions. Some people prefer living in isolated places with much space for large homes, large yards and more bedrooms. This desire means movement of people away from densely populated city centres. The movement results in spreading of cities and progressively reduction in population density away from the city centre. A lack of understanding of unplanned growth consequences may also lead to urban sprawl. The government in most cases has not taken a consideration of the implications of urban sprawl. The government’s action of allowing developers to do as they wish may also cause urban sprawl. When people over depend on automobiles for transportation, urban sprawl may also result. Developments in the urban areas involve the use of materials such as stone, cement and asphalt. Subsidies on automobiles play a critical role in the spreading of urban sprawl. This, according to Hanson (1992), enables automobile owners to incur low costs of transportation and thus encouraging urban sprawl. People will find it easy commuting with cars from the suburbs. The table that follows gives subsidies for the years 1983 according to the value of the dollar in 1987, Madison, Wisconsin. Measure Amount in dollars ($) Per capita direct subsidy 105 Per capita indirect subsidy 152 Per capita total subsidy 257 Per vehicle direct subsidy 150 Per vehicle indirect subsidy 262 Per vehicle total subsidy 412 Per passenger-mile direct subsidy 0.024 Per passenger-mile indirect subsidy 0.034 Per passenger –mile total subsidy 0.058 Per gallon direct subsidy 0.53 Per gallon indirect subsidy 0.74 Per gallon total subsidy 1.27 The subsidies for automobile users though the statistics date back to more than a decade ago, imply that people found it easy to own and maintain vehicles and thus suburbs grew rapidly. This is because; such people could live away from the town centre and still drive to there whenever they wanted. We can imagine the gradual increase in use of automobiles leading to nitrogen emissions including sulfur oxides and carbon dioxide. The scenario led to impacts including air pollution, personal injury and environmental damage due to the use of salt on roads. Air pollution came in from of acid rain and climate change. Rampant use of automobiles led to injuries from accidents, property damage and fatalities. Use of salt on roads during winter has brought problems of acid rain and water pollution. According to Hanson (1992), the total damage in Madison from air pollution, personal injury and road salt amounted to $4.7 billion. Amazingly, vehicles and highway structures were responsible for 90 per cent of the damage. Consequences of urban sprawl Although urban sprawl looks desirable and satisfying for the urban rich, it has brought various undesirable environmental impacts. This paper deals not only with environmental impacts but also social and economic impacts. Social and economic impacts have a relation to environmental impacts because they two can lead to the later. Urban sprawl leads to environmental impacts such as light pollution, global warming, human-wildlife conflicts, loss of wetlands and farmlands, decrease in air quality, less groundwater and heat island effect. The characteristic overdependence on cars for transportation in urban sprawl contributes significantly to air pollution (Chiara et al, 2010). The increased use of automobiles in commuting leads to unnecessary traffic jams. The delay of vehicles on the roads due to traffic means increased emissions of exhaust fumes to the atmosphere. Construction using these materials results in the ground becoming impervious. In this case, rainwater will run off and only a small percentage infiltrates. This leads to reduced groundwater. The conversion of land into human settlements can lead to loss of wildlife habitats and finally the loss of this precious wildlife including animals and plants. In a study of Wisconsin City, researchers found that the remaining grasslands only make 0.5% and 50% of the wetlands have undergone destruction (Roger et al 2009). This happened due to urban sprawl. The study also found out that the remaining oak savannas only make 500 acres compared to 5.5 million acres before the development of Wisconsin. Heat island effect is another consequent in urban sprawls. Increasing buildings and asphalt surfaces trap many heat radiations resulting in increased temperatures. This creates a microclimate, which depending on prevailing conditions result in severe weather such as storms. Economic impacts are the first felt impacts in urban sprawl. Sprawling developments in the urban outskirt areas demand infrastructure such as roads and schools (Rudel et al, 2011). The local governments have to provide finances to meet these costs while, on the other hand, the tax base may be insufficient to cater for this. Sprawl in the urban areas also leads to social problems such as isolation and loneliness, therefore, misfits in the society. The characteristic reliance on automobiles for transportation has a link to health impacts such as obesity and traffic congestion according to researchers. Options for cities in controlling urban sprawl Governments and municipal councils should work to address the issue of urban sprawl or else the situation will grow worst. This will involve policy intervention and strict implementation and monitoring to ensure absolute adherence. People should concentrate buildings instead of dispersing from the urban centres (Low S. M., 2011). Governments should develop communities where people can walk to work or use bikes instead of automobiles. Provision of quality housing in all places of the urban centres will also help to alleviate the problems of urban sprawl. This will solve the problem of people moving away from the centers of cities in search of quality housing. Councils should also work to support the use of alternative transportation. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that urban sprawl is undesirable and brings more harm than blessings. The causes of urban sprawl include a lack of sound planning, rapid population growth, and subsidized automobiles, and government’s action of allowing developers do as they wish. Urban sprawl results in problems such as air pollution, accidents, global warming, congestion in social institutions and water shortages. Governments and city administrators can use relevant policies to address the issue of urban sprawl. References Chiara M. Travisi (a, b., Roberto Camagni, (., & Peter Nijkamp, (. (2010). Impacts of urban sprawl and commuting: a modelling study for Italy. Journal Of Transport Geography, 18(Tourism and climate change), 382-392. doi:10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2009.08.008 Hanson M., E. (1992). Automobile Subsidies and Land Use: Estimates and Policy Responses. Journal of the American Planning Association; Winter 1992; 58, 1; Karen C Seto, (., & J Marshall Shepherd, (. (2009). Global urban land-use trends and climate impacts. Current Opinion In Environmental Sustainability, 189-95. doi:10.1016/j.cosust.2009.07.012 Klaufus, C. (n.d). Watching the city grow: remittances and sprawl in intermediate Central American cities. Environment And Urbanization, 22(1), 125-137. Low S. M.. (2011). The Edge and the Center: Gated Communities and the Discourse of Urban Fear. American Journal of Anthropology, Vol. 103, No. 1 (Mar., 2001), pp. 45-58 Roger B. Hammer (a, ∗., Susan I. Stewart, (., Todd J. Hawbaker, (., & Volker C. Radeloff, (. (2009). Housing growth, forests, and public lands in Northern Wisconsin from 1940 to 2000. Journal Of Environmental Management, 902690-2698. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.02.012 Rudel T. K., Neill O’K., Gottlieb P., McDermott M. & Hatfield C. (2011). From Middle to Upper Class Sprawl? Land Use Controls and Changing Patterns of Real Estate Development in Northern New Jersey. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 101:3, 609-624 Read More