Urban Sprawl: The Invisible Destroyer of the Environment

The purpose of this research is to inform Americans of what sprawl is and the negative effects it has on the environment. Sprawl is the unnecessary expansion of urban areas onto valuable unused land. In 2013, only 26% of Americans saw sprawl as a problem at all. Yet sprawl is the culprit behind better known issues, such as air pollution and water contamination. The increased use of vehicles and runoff makes sprawled out areas more polluted than compact cities. Because condensing a city is not a workable solution, another way is to improve public transportation. Places that have more sprawl force people to use cars. Improving public transportation by making it more accessible and reliable would encourage people to not use their cars, which saves them money and, in turn, causes less pollution.