APES Unit 5.10 Impacts of Urbanization

Practice FRQ

★ Describe a possible solution to the issue of urban

sprawl. Identify one possible economic consequence

of this solution. (3 sentences minimum)

One possible solution to urban sprawl is using mixed-land use. By integrating residential, commercial, and entertainment buildings together, services, economic growth, and populations are condensed in one area without spreading outward. One economic consequence of this solution could be gentrification, or the increasing price of land that leads to the displacement of lower-income individuals.

Urban

relating to the city or towns or densely populated areas

Urbanization

Process of area increasing in density of people per unit of land

• Increase Pop → Increased Consumption on Earth’s resources

1. Removes Vegetation: Natural → City Landscape

2. Replaces with Impervious surfaces: Concrete, asphalt, cement

Effects of Urbanization

• Prevents groundwater recharge → runoff

• CO2: Cement production

  • Construction machinery

  • Deforestation: Loses future carbon sequestration & decomposition

  • Landfills: Disposes large pop’s trash

Urbanization in Coastal Cities

→ Saltwater Intrusion: Excessive groundwater withdrawal lowers water table pressure → salt water into groundwater

Sea Level Rising

Contaminates groundwater w/ salt

← Warming of Ocean: Thermal expansion

← Melting of Ice caps: Increases ocean volume

Trends in Population

Rural People → Urban for jobs, entertainment, cultural attracted

• Overall Trend: Rural → Urban

• Urban: Dense pops

  • Minimizes: driving + land use per person

• Suburban: Highest growth

  • Suburbs: Less dense areas surrounding urban areas

  • Exurbs: Not connected to central or dense city

Urban Sprawl

Population moves from urban to suburban areas

• ← Cheap Property

• ← Cars

• ← Domino Effect

  • Businesses follow

• ← Declining Urban Pop: Decline in tax revenue → services for city

  • ← Blight: Abandoned homes + businesses

Smart Growth

Strategies that encourage sustainable communities

• Mixed Land Use: Residential + Business + Entertainment buildings together

• Walkable Design: Public transport

• Urban Growth Boundaries: Zoning laws set by cities preventing development beyond a certain boundary