Urban sprawls have been in the increase due to the increase of in population. This has changed the income of ordinary American households. However, others view urban sprawl a chance to move away from congestions in cities. Experts observe that urban sprawls are dangerous to the economy of the country, as well as the environment.
Population pressure has always been cited as the main cause of migration in all parts of the world. In this regard, urbanization, which refers to the migration of people from rural areas to urban areas, has been in the increase since the 19th and 20th century. Industrial revolution is blamed for causing urbanization, particularly in Europe.
Industrialization provided good chances for the formation of cities through the establishment of industries and factories. However, the cities and their suburbs cannot withstand the population growth[1]. Therefore, other people prefer moving to rural areas and opt to be travelling to towns every morning to accomplish their tasks.
This is what is referred to as urban sprawls. A number of problems have emerged due to urban sprawls. In other words, urban sprawls have led to various problems. These problems are discussed in this article. Moreover, the article talks about the solutions provided by technology.
In the rural areas, land is usually known to be cheaper. Living costs are low in rural areas as compared to cities and other places. This has an effect to the economy because private investors are taking up land reserved for agriculture, leading to shortages in agricultural produce. The government is unable to plan for its people since it is forced to import food and other agricultural products.
Apart from consuming land meant for agricultural production, public funds meant for development in rural areas are channeled to the repair of roads, maintenance of water pipes, and provision of additional electricity. Urban sprawls are viewed negatively because public funds are spent in infrastructural development that does not benefit the urban dwellers yet the budget stems from the city councils.
Urban sprawls have led to global warming and climatic change due to the spread of motorization. Motorization brings about the issue of green house emission, which has been an issue of debate in various quarters. China is one of the countries experiencing problems with the green house emission[2].
The motor industry is being developed without consideration of social and global effects. Every morning, those living in rural areas go to towns using public means meaning that they contribute to traffic jams, which delays the transportation of agricultural produce, some of which are perishable goods that must be consumed as soon as they are produced.
Others people living in rural areas and working in towns are accused of causing unnecessary accidents since they over speed in rural roads that are not well developed as compared to those in urban areas. Health professionals observe that the emergence of urban sprawls have affected the health of many people since people are tempted to drive even for shorter distances, which causes hypertension and obesity.
There are even serious effects of urban sprawls because they are accused of causing disintegration of the social capital of many people. Urban sprawls have large houses with almost everything meaning that they have backyards for children to play hence minimizing their interactions with other members of society.
Social interactions in urban sprawls are minimal as compared to interactions in other places, such as the rural areas and urban centers. Another effect is that sprawls trigger issues related to the environmental. In many places, people displace wildlife to come up with mansions and spacious compounds. Destruction of agriculture has led to problems because more land is covered with impervious material, including concrete.
This implies that there is little percolation of rainwater, which does not even reach the ground water. Finally, urban sprawls forces city planners to spend a lot of money on the construction of roads and parking lots. This is considered a waste of resources since the area of taxable land is reduced[3].
The problems brought about urban sprawls are enormous meaning that various methods are to be applied in resolving these problems. Some of the methods include the application of technology. Technology can be utilized effectively to resolve the issues brought about by urban sprawling.
However, technological solutions would solve only scientifically related problems, but not social and economic. For instance, one of the technological solutions is sequestration of greenhouse gases. Another technologically related solution is ensuring energy efficiency in urban sprawls. People driving from urban sprawls to their places of work are likely to emit harmful gases as compared to those living in urban areas.
This means that technology should be applied in ensuring that the fuels they use are clean. This entails cleaning coal energy, using sequestration technology. To do this, the use of an advanced nuclear reactor would be imperative. People living in rural areas while working in urban regions would be advised to utilize synthetic gasoline and diesel oil. Moreover, they have to be provided with alternative fuels. All these entail the utilization of technology.
It should be noted that the use of technology in resolving issues related to urban sprawling is a costly task since it does not offer adequate solutions to social and economic problems. Even the use of technology in cleaning fuels is not easy. In fact, no city, country, or municipality would be willing to undertaken this task since the process is always costly.
Bibliography
Gonzalez, GA, Urban Sprawl, Global Warming, and the Empire of Capital, State University of New York Press, Albany, 2009.
Martin, G, ‘Motorization, Social Ecology, and China,’ Area, vol. 39, no. 1, 2007, pp 66-73.
McCartney, D, ‘From Urban Sprawl to Sustainable Urban Village,’ Sustainable Property News, and Forum, vol. 1, no. 1, 2010, pp. 1-8.
Footnotes
- G, Gonzalez, Urban Sprawl, Global Warming, and the Empire of Capital, State University of New York Press, Albany, 2009, P. 36.
- G, Martin, ‘Motorization, Social Ecology, and China,’ Area, vol. 39, no. 1, 2007, pp 66-73.
- D McCartney, ‘From Urban Sprawl to Sustainable Urban Village,’ Sustainable Property News, and Forum, Vol. 1, no. 1, 2010, pp. 1-8.