LaToya Williams
August 23, 2012
Week 2
Discussion 1
Examine the obvious environmental impacts as well as significant social and physical ramifications of urban sprawl. What is the relationship between landscape and psychological well-being? After defining this relationship, discuss how the presence or absence of natural beauty in your environment affects your psychological well-being on an everyday basis. Give at least one specific example.
In my opinion the obvious environmental impacts and significant social and physical ramifications of urban sprawl would be congestion, urban air pollution, and commuting distance. The road transportation system has to be extensive, miles driven, and traffic congestion is high. Transit cost become ineffective because the overall density is low, and walking is not an option in some suburban locations. Plus our society has become over populated we are consuming massive amounts of material while producing more waste. Our textbook states, “Sprawl is thus a major cause of what is known as nonpoint water pollution (see section 9.2). Second, this increased runoff aggravates flooding problems and lowers groundwater supplies since, instead of soaking into the ground, rain that falls on rooftops, driveways, parking lots, and roads often runs straight into nearby streams and rivers.” (Turk, 2011) I believe when it comes to nature and psychological well-being it is clear we are connected to nature, if we alter nature we alter ourselves. I think if we are surrounded natural beauty it leaves us in a better lighter mood, yet if we are surrounded by non-beautiful things we are put in a bad mood. For example would you rather be in sunny Hawaii or Detroit, me personally I get tired of looking out the windows at high-rise buildings by the time I get home I am in a bad mood. I feel so much better when I am at the beach with sun shining on me sand beneath between my toes I am happy the kids are happy. Our textbook states, “For example,...