arminius wrote:
> "gringogirl" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> www.numbersusa.com click on urban sprawl in left hand column
> Between 1982 and 1997 America converted approximately 25 million acres
> (39,000 square miles) of rural land - forests, rangeland, pastures,
> cropland, and wetlands - to developed land: that is, sub-divisions,
> freeways, factories, strip malls, airports, and the like.
>
> Over a 20-year period (1970-1990), the 100 largest Urbanized Areas in
> the United States sprawled out over an additional 14,545 square miles.
> That was more than 9 million acres of
>
> · natural habitats,
> · farmland
> · and other rural space that were covered over by the asphalt,
> buildings and sub-divisions of suburbia. And that was just for the half
> of Americans who live in those 100 cities.
>
> Americans have become increasingly alarmed, making urban sprawl one of
> the nation's hottest political issues.
>
> The Chamber of Commerce is still shaking pom-poms and proclaiming "growth is
> good".
> Anything for a quick buck.
>
> Hank
>
>
One of the main reasons for Urban Sprawl is the fact that people WANT
it. That is the main reason it is so popular. I have lived in high
density areas in the past. I now live in a low density area. We have
no apartments and no high rises where we live on the North Shore of Lake
Travis. This is an area that was first developed over thirty years ago,
but is growing fairly rapidly. Much of our shopping is done in areas
that you would consider "sprawl:. We have few, if any, reasons to visit
the central city except occasionally.

I have lived and worked in a number of high density areas over the
years, including places like NYC and Toronto. I have visited and worked
in most of the major population centers in this country on business.
When my wife and I prepared for my retirement in 1995, we spent several
of the preceding years visiting a number of areas to see where we'd like
to live.

We quickly ruled out the high density areas.

We enjoy our quality of life much better now than when we were living in
high density. You and the elitists "city designer" types may keep it.

Also, don't be surprised if many others feel the same way we do.

Regards...

Tom