Environmental Impact of Sprawl on Natural Habitats
Along with the effects of consumerism in Los Angeles, the most severe impact from sprawl is the deterioration of ecosystems. Thousands of plant and animal species, with nearly 300 plants and animals listed as endangered, inhabit the Los Angeles area. In the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valley, and in the Santa Monica Mountains and beyond are 3.5 million acres of coast, foothill, mountain, and high desert terrain, all sheltering 3,000 plant and animal species that occur no where else on Earth. (Center for Biological Diversity) These species are threatened by continuous urban and perimeter sprawl and it has been noted that there is not enough being done to protect southern California’s preserves and National Forests. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service do little to protect federally listed species and critical habitat from many harmful Forest Service activities, including roads, off-road vehicles, power lines, oil and gas, logging, and grazing.” (Center for Biological Diversity) As many environmental agencies as there are in California alone, it is hard to believe that “between 1997-2007, studies [have] suggested [that] both plant and animal species are dying at a rate not seen for millions of years.” (Miller 74) As studies show that animal and plant extinction is on the rise, it may be possible to connect the loss of natural habitats to sprawl.
Sprawl in southern California has caused the subdivision of land with the crisscross of roads and construction of buildings, forcing ecosystems to grow frail and divert animals to what little wild open space is left. The Santa Monica Freeway, also known as “The 10,” stretches from Santa Monica to the east coast in Florida. The portion of the 10 Freeway that bisects much of Los Angeles and eastward through the Inland Empire has imperiled many animals and natural habitats. “[A]nimals are being cut off and isolated...[T]hese animals need large, contiguous blocks of wild or semi-wild landscape, find themselves hemmed in by roads, golf courses and new neighborhoods.” (Miller 96) Even more telling is the fact that “[m]ore than one-third of the known species in the United States are considered in danger of extinction…[and] [s]prawl in California is [the] leading cause of species imperilment.” (Miller 168) With a number of plants and animals possibly lost due to sprawl, the ecological processes that occur in nature are being thrown into disorder, jeopardizing wildlife communities. Within the southern California landscape, the impediments that are created by humans and contribute so greatly to sprawl, redirect animals to unfamiliar ecosystems, and contribute to lower animal fertility rates, and possible extinction. The typical view of the American landscape is that its openness and vastness is such that it does not require any limitation on development. This view does not take into consideration the need for agricultural and recreational land and the need for open space to allow these animals, plants, microorganisms and other life forms to maintain natural systems and biological diversity.
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Friday, June 12, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Its All About What You Consume: Next Section
Consumerism Redefined in Los Angeles
Factors affecting sprawl today, together with a great period of economic prosperity after WWII, helped cause sprawl to have a direct impact on the spending and consumption patterns of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles area’s excessive land development makes driving a must, especially in view of what is considered some of the poorest public transportation for a city of its size. The amount of drivers on the roads constitutes a considerable detriment to the environment and aggravates the effect that sprawl plays in southern California’s consumption of goods and food. This is because of the carbon emissions and other chemicals that are emitted into the air from driving cars. A significant portion of the energy cost of food production is spent on transporting food from harvest to market and for processing, packaging, and storage. This increases the likelihood of environmental damage to the landscape. Los Angeles’ sprawling nature exacerbates the pollution that is produced from transporting goods, hence the intense smog problem in the region. To mitigate this problem, many people can purchase locally grown, in-season, unprocessed food which would greatly reduce the need to expend as much energy in food production.
A prime example of excessive energy consumption can be found in Los Angeles:
“Suburban Los Angeles residents consume gas at a rate 12 times greater than citizens of Manhattan because of the spread-out development pattern…[S]prawling land use patterns in the United States requires more driving. This leads to the production of more greenhouse gases that fuel global warming, which in turn leads to changes in our very landscapes and even to the culture that is shaped by it.” (Squires 28)
Because of extraordinary consumption of goods in the United States, Americans contribute to draining the Earth of its resources faster than any country. “If the entire world were to consume resources at the same rate as the U.S., we would need three planets to satisfy the demand.” (Miller 45) Citizens of the United States are inordinate consumers of goods, food, and unfortunately vast amounts of natural resources. “U.S. drivers consume roughly 43 percent of the world’s gasoline to propel less than 5 percent of the world’s population.” (Miller 103) Staggering statistics such as those help put into perspective the damage the population of southern California is inflicting on the environment due to sprawl.
More effective means will need to be employed in certain areas of the United States in order to control sprawl. Given the growing population of and other western states, there will be continued influx of residents into the southern California region, further enhancing the need to find a solution to sprawl. “The fastest-growing states, regions, and counties are dominated by…the south and west regions [of] [the] [United States]. Together, the south and west will represent about 80 percent of future employment, population and income growth.” (Burchell 22) Looking at a map of the counties in the United States, there is a definite pattern of smaller counties being located on the east coast while larger counties occur on the west coast. Larger counties in the west have allowed sprawl to continue unabated, while east coast counties were not as affected by sprawl due to the advent of the automobile. We must also consider that the geographical size of the eastern states is much smaller than that of the western states. This size differential may explain why development is more structured and efficient on the east coast as opposed to the west. Furthermore, the eastern regions will not see nearly as much development in the next several decades as will the western and southern states. The latter areas will gain significant growth because of the available land, regardless of the price, causing further sprawl and disruption to the environment.
Factors affecting sprawl today, together with a great period of economic prosperity after WWII, helped cause sprawl to have a direct impact on the spending and consumption patterns of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles area’s excessive land development makes driving a must, especially in view of what is considered some of the poorest public transportation for a city of its size. The amount of drivers on the roads constitutes a considerable detriment to the environment and aggravates the effect that sprawl plays in southern California’s consumption of goods and food. This is because of the carbon emissions and other chemicals that are emitted into the air from driving cars. A significant portion of the energy cost of food production is spent on transporting food from harvest to market and for processing, packaging, and storage. This increases the likelihood of environmental damage to the landscape. Los Angeles’ sprawling nature exacerbates the pollution that is produced from transporting goods, hence the intense smog problem in the region. To mitigate this problem, many people can purchase locally grown, in-season, unprocessed food which would greatly reduce the need to expend as much energy in food production.
A prime example of excessive energy consumption can be found in Los Angeles:
“Suburban Los Angeles residents consume gas at a rate 12 times greater than citizens of Manhattan because of the spread-out development pattern…[S]prawling land use patterns in the United States requires more driving. This leads to the production of more greenhouse gases that fuel global warming, which in turn leads to changes in our very landscapes and even to the culture that is shaped by it.” (Squires 28)
Because of extraordinary consumption of goods in the United States, Americans contribute to draining the Earth of its resources faster than any country. “If the entire world were to consume resources at the same rate as the U.S., we would need three planets to satisfy the demand.” (Miller 45) Citizens of the United States are inordinate consumers of goods, food, and unfortunately vast amounts of natural resources. “U.S. drivers consume roughly 43 percent of the world’s gasoline to propel less than 5 percent of the world’s population.” (Miller 103) Staggering statistics such as those help put into perspective the damage the population of southern California is inflicting on the environment due to sprawl.
More effective means will need to be employed in certain areas of the United States in order to control sprawl. Given the growing population of and other western states, there will be continued influx of residents into the southern California region, further enhancing the need to find a solution to sprawl. “The fastest-growing states, regions, and counties are dominated by…the south and west regions [of] [the] [United States]. Together, the south and west will represent about 80 percent of future employment, population and income growth.” (Burchell 22) Looking at a map of the counties in the United States, there is a definite pattern of smaller counties being located on the east coast while larger counties occur on the west coast. Larger counties in the west have allowed sprawl to continue unabated, while east coast counties were not as affected by sprawl due to the advent of the automobile. We must also consider that the geographical size of the eastern states is much smaller than that of the western states. This size differential may explain why development is more structured and efficient on the east coast as opposed to the west. Furthermore, the eastern regions will not see nearly as much development in the next several decades as will the western and southern states. The latter areas will gain significant growth because of the available land, regardless of the price, causing further sprawl and disruption to the environment.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Senior Thesis: Urban Sprawl and its Impact on the Environment and Consumerism
I am in the process of writing my research paper for my LA 465 class on the above topic. In about two weeks I will have a draft available and the final in three to four weeks. The paper covers those impacts mentioned before on Los Angeles specifically.
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