Urban Sprawl in Atlanta
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Audio Transcript Auto-generated
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urban sprawl in Atlanta
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when one thinks of urbanization and they probably think of cities like
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new york or Toronto which have a dense and multicultural population,
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robust transportation systems and other infrastructure
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Homes and businesses are in relatively close proximity.
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Getting from one place to another is quick and easy.
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This is the result of careful and
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controlled expansion and thoughtful urban planning.
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However,
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this ideal form of urbanization doesn't always play out when cities are growing.
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Urban sprawl refers to when cities expand but don't plot out their
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development carefully and are not as dense as they could be often.
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When cities grow in this way,
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they end up being more spread out than
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is necessary and without proper public transport,
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destruction of natural environments,
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poor public transit and living far away from commercial centers can
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have negative results on people as well as the environment.
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This results in many people driving their own cars for longer distances,
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leading to more pollution and environmental damage.
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There is perhaps no better example of urban sprawl than Atlanta Georgia.
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To understand what the urban sprawl is like in Atlanta,
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we must first understand what it was like before urban sprawl changed the city.
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Atlanta used to have generally clean and healthy air,
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but it has recently become more polluted.
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This is due to the fact that there are many
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more cars on the road spewing gasses into the air.
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Urban sprawl equals more roads,
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more roads equals more driving and more driving equals more pollution.
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In 1990 for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did a
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study that showed an increase in patients with respiratory problems by 37%
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and an increased by one third in Children with asthma.
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After the city was alerted of heavy ozone pollution.
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Another consequence of urban sprawl in Atlanta is its weak water quality.
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The chattahoochee River is the main water supply in Georgia.
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But again, because of urban sprawl,
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there is a lack of good infrastructure in the water and sewer systems,
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runoff from paved roads and farms,
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construction site erosion and seepage from septic
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tanks are all polluting the water.
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Atlanta used to have many open fields and green spaces.
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Between 1980 and 10,,
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Atlanta lost many of its green areas and forests to urban sprawl.
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The relatively small number of residents probably
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enjoyed recreational activities in these green areas,
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but now there are much less opportunities
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for this given the urban sprawl development.
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In the case of Atlanta,
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urban sprawl occurred due to the population's growth and
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larger wealth as well as the lands decreased value.
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In other words,
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higher income families were buying lots of cheap land without considering the
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consequences of the huge deforestation and
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the damaging of other natural resources.
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Atlanta's population density is 1370 people per kilometer squared.
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This is certainly an increase from before urban sprawl took effect.
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However,
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the area wasn't sufficiently dense enough to make its growth cost effective
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because of Atlanta's awkward growth,
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residents lacked access to infrastructure taken
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for granted in more urbanized areas.
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These include community centers, highways, public transportation, etcetera.
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People often overzealously flocked to the attractive city areas without
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considering the amenities needed for a proper and sustainable community.
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To stop the effects of urban sprawl,
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Atlanta should consider creating dedicated agencies
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that combat rapid and uncoordinated growth.
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Other agencies could be involved in educating the community
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about the causes and effects of urban sprawl.
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The city should also work on establishing proper transit and waterway systems.
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With careful planning. A city can flourish as its population expands.