The haphazard spread of development out from the center core of a
town or city is referred to as urban sprawl. Poorly planned growth is resulting in
the vanishing of farmland and rural landscapes; increased commute times and traffic jams;
polluted streams, rivers, and fisheries; increased "bad air" days; and stress on
local governments to provide services to far-flung developments.
The Sierra Club is promoting a platform called SmartGrowth to protect
our communities and natural areas. This involves citizens finding alternative ways
to move people and goods and to use public ingrastructure fund more efficiently.
There are 10 planks in the Smart Growth Platform:
Protect Farmland - preservation incentives
Acquire Open Space - natural, forested public areas
Provide Transportation Choices - bike lanes, sidewalks, public transportation
from the center core of a
town or city is referred to as urban sprawl. Poorly planned growth is resulting in
the vanishing of farmland and rural landscapes; increased commute times and traffic jams;
polluted streams, rivers, and fisheries; increased "bad air" days; and stress on
local governments to provide services to far-flung developments.
