Key Urban Environmental Issues

Right before, during, and after the American industrial revolution, many individuals started to migrate into areas that were relatively condensed. Although urbanization happened mid 19th century, the term urban was not used until 1950, and as of today it is known and used amongst multiple academic disciplines as a key term when discussing demographics, sprawl, and environmental issues. In the United States there are two different types of urban areas. The first type of urban area is generally characterized as having 50,000 people or less in one area. These are generally noted as urban clusters, and as of the 2000 United States census, there are a total of 1,371 urban areas and urban clusters with more than 10,000 people residing in each of them! The second term when discussing urbanization is urban area. Urban areas are generally blocks that have a population density of at least 1,000 people within one square mile (386 per square kilometer).

Urban areas are a huge aspect of our daily lives, although we do not necessarily think of locations of common areas in terms of rural, suburbs, downtowns, metropolitan, and urban classifications, these areas are having major environmental issues. As many may think that environmental issues are only relevant in areas with great amounts of pollution, over population, and lack of sanitation, however, these are issues that are true problems for all environments. Currently today, we are suffering from a wide range of environmental problems such as inadequate household water,lack of sanitation, indoor air pollution, inadequate waste management, depletion of natural resources, greenhouse gases, and over population. Our earth is a gorgeous place that deserves the utmost best. The earth is a phenomenal planet that provides many useful tools for its inhabitants. Providing its people with resources to wield and a place to raise our family, the earth is truly a beautiful thing. However, we as a collective nation of beings sometimes forget what a wonderful world we are given, as it is a providing source that welcomes all. Unfortunately, problems start to arise due to our lack of consideration and carelessness which results in degrading the earth, and furthermore the world we live in.

Rising sea levels, increasing green house gases, over population, air pollution are some of the few problems we have in the world. In our modern day effort to globalize the entire world into its own free market, we seize to act consciously of the world only using it as a tool or resource, often time forgetting its importance and how fortunate we are. As a human race we are ruthless by destroying natural habitats for animals, depleting all sources of natural energy, and only perpetuating human inequality in our efforts to pursue materialistic items. Rising sea levels will destroy many arctic habitats, increased green house gases lead to a rise in global temperature, over population leading to the spread of many diseases,and abominable amounts of air pollution that only add to our deteriorating health. These are the difficult yet current and future times of which we live in this world. We are only tenants and if we do not start to shape up, take action, and give back to the earth, we may surely be individuals without a home. Time to step up and come to the plate, time to give back what we have taken, and prove the earth that we are worthy inhabitants. The earth is providing signs that indicate it is in danger, we just seem to be to busy in our daily lives to actually show that we care.