5.10 - Urbanization

Question 1

Urbanization

Answer 1

• Removing of vegetation to convert natural landscape to city (urban)
• Replaces soil, vegetation, wetlands , with impervious surfaces (concrete, asphalt, cement) which don’t allow water to infiltrate into the ground
• CO2 emissions:
  - Cement production
  - Construction machinery
  - Deforestation (loss of future carbon sequestration + decomposition of cut trees)
  - Landfills needed for disposing trash from large pop.
• Urbanization prevents groundwater recharge, causing precipitation to runoff into local bodies of water

Question 2

Urbanization in Coastal Cities

Answer 2

• Population growth in coastal cities can lead to saltwater intrusion due to:
  - Excessive groundwater withdrawal near coast lowering water table pressure, allowing saltwater to seep into groundwater
  - Sea level rise due to warming of ocean (thermal expansion) and melting of ice caps (increasing ocean volume) can contaminate fresh groundwater with salt

Question 3

Trends in Population

Answer 3

• People move from rural → urban areas for jobs, entertainment, cultural attractions
• Urban areas are more densely populated, minimizing driving & land use per person (decreases env. Impact per person)
• Highest growth currently is suburban population
• Overall trend in US & many other nations is away from less dense rural (country) areas and toward more urban (city) areas
• Suburbs less dense areas surrounding urban areas

Question 4

Urban Sprawl

Answer 4

• Pop. movement out of dense, urban centers to less dense suburban areas surrounding the city (GR → Kentwood, Wyoming, F. Hills, etc.)

Causes:
- Cheaper property in suburbs than in cities (larger home for same price)
- Cars make it easy to still get from the suburbs into the city for work, entertainment, cultural attractions
- Domino effect (neighbors leave, so you leave)
- Fewer residents in cities leads to decline in tax revenue for city (decrease in city services)
- Residents leave, so businesses follow
- Abandoned homes + businesses create blight (unsightly, rundown infrastructure) so more people leave

Question 5

Urban Sprawl Causes

Answer 5

• Expanded highway system makes travel easier and increases driving
• Increase in driving increases fuel tax revenue, which is used to build more highways
• Highway expansion makes it easier and easier to commute from suburbs into urban areas

Solutions:
- Urban growth boundaries: zoning laws set by cities preventing development beyond a certain boundary
- Public transport & walkable city design that attract residents to stay
- Mixed land use: residential, business, and entertainment buildings all located in the same area of a city
- Enables walkability & sense of place