Marcellus Shale Pros and Cons

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To make a valid argument in favor of or in favor against urban sprawl, one must understand what the term means. Urban sprawl is a term used to describe the movement of a populous away from the center of a city into more rural areas (or an abundance of urban growth along the outskirts of a city). While the population grows, so does the expansion of towns and city limits and the number of people within them. When more and more people gather into a certain area, it becomes of more of an urban setting rather than a rural one. While there are many pros and many cons for urban sprawling, let us examine some of the more debated issues with this topic.

Due to the fact that land is cheaper in rural settings, people are able to afford more for the same cost as living in the city. The reason that property values are set higher in the city is often because living in the city uses more resources, more people in a smaller area use more of the same resource, and also convenience to everything costs more. Rural settings offer more space for less money because you are not living off the convenience of the city. This makes it more likely that as the city gets tighter, people will want to branch outward into the rural areas. In addition to this, people are able to afford larger houses, which is a large benefit to many with more than just two people to a household. Another benefit seen in rural areas is that school systems are usually ranked higher. Teacher to student ratios are lower, which means that teachers have fewer students in a classroom and can devote more time to each child. Crime is also lower in most rural areas, adding to the benefits of the urban sprawl more rural areas.

Just as there are benefits to the urban sprawl, there are also drawbacks. One of the largest cons against the urban crawl is that the larger a city gets and the more people inhabit the same area, the less resources there are. While in turn this does create a higher order of supply and demand, which boosts the economic growth, it can also cause sustainability complications in these areas. In addition, pollution from vehicles will continue to rise in urban areas, making the air and water less safe than it was before. As more people begin to push into the rural areas, they can soon become urban settings once again, and the benefit of rural living will no longer exist, such as having larger property space or a larger home for substantially less money. Also, natural vegetation such as trees (which are also home to many species) will begin to be affected, leaving more room for pollution and the lack of sustainability for certain animals.

Each opinion has valid points when it comes to the topic of the urban sprawl. Knowing the pros and cons can help you make a more educated decision when it comes to taking a side or deciding if you are going to be a part of the urban crawl.