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Urban V.S. Suburban

When you think of a typical American city what comes to mind? Is it great big tall buildings, or do you picture an array of single family houses with big backyards in a cul-de-sac? When it comes to deciding where to live, there are many choices. Such as apartments, condominiums, duplexes and mobile homes among others. There is one more choice that must be made, if you want to live in the hustle and bustle of city life, or if you want to live in the quiet, slow life of a suburban neighborhood. There are many pros and cons of each that must be considered when choosing. The impact that each of these lifestyles has on our traffic, health and social capital is very important to know about when choosing where you want your family to live.

The term “Suburbia” may have been thrown around at you in conversations or on television. Suburban sprawl is the spreading out of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area. An urban area is an area with an increased density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. Which is the better decision one may wonder. The fact is neither one is better than the other. They both are very different and have many good and bad things to offer.

When living in a suburban area, the major form of transportation is by motor vehicle. The major characteristic of urban sprawl is that everything is spread out and far apart. Where people live is far from where people work. Where people work is far from where people shop. Walking or biking are not viable forms of transportation. Therefore, this increases traffic and air pollution as well as traffic fatalities. In an urban setting where everything is close to each other, people are more likely to walk, bike, or at least take advantage of public transit. This cuts back on emissions from vehicles and promotes better air quality. This means that people in urban areas spend less time commuting decreasing the chance of a traffic fatality. Also, the cost of operating and maintaining a vehicle can be very expensive. With today’s fluctuating gas prices, and the slow increase of wages, this can put a damper on a family’s budget. Taking away from fun outdoor activities that would otherwise relieve stress and frustration.

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It is quite obvious that our health plays a major role in everything we do. People in the suburbs spend more time on crowded, congested highways trying to get to work or school adding more air pollution and carbon emissions then it’s urban counterpart. Because of the increased need to drive, road rage is also a major factor that feeds peoples stress levels. There have been many studies that significantly connect sprawl with obesity and hypertension. In order to make room for new houses forest is cut and covered in concrete which in turn makes rain fall less efficient, threatening both the quality and quantity of water supplies. Also, people in the suburbs tend to spend less time outdoors creating physical frustration.

Our social life is also determined by where we live. If one lives in the urban core they are more likely to meet new people along the way of their daily life. While living in a fenced in, separated house can create barriers to social interaction. Public spaces such as parks and sidewalks where people would normally spend time outdoors are replaced with private backyards. This reduces the basic face to face contact making people less social. However, experts would argue that living in the suburbs is safer because there is less crime. They usually have better schools and greener landscaping. This can create a sense of tranquility among the residents due to the serene environment.

Even though there are many pros and cons to each living situation. One must consider the long term effects of letting the population grow out of control. We all want the same thing, whether it be a clean water supply or simply good air quality. We all must take steps to do our part in keeping our neighborhoods clean, safe and healthy. After all, we are the only ones to blame for what is happening to our planet. When making the decision of living in suburbia or the urban core, we should know how to prevent problems we may be subject to. This will decrease the negative effects so we can only enjoy a quality lifestyle.