As the world’s population continues to increase, so does the need for larger cities and bigger buildings. Currently, about a dozen metropolises in the world have a population greater than 10 million citizens. Large amounts of resources are put in for expanding urban areas to accommodate new citizens. Along with the benefits they offer, however, cities nowadays are being considered a threat to the environment. Encroachment on natural habitats, waste on valuable resources and environmental pollution are just some of the alleged effects cities have on our planet. I support the thesis that large urban areas are a major cause of environmental problems, because of the detrimental effects stated above.
To begin, as cities expand, they invade into natural territories previously reserved for wildlife. As the rate of urbanization rises, more and more forests are cut down to make room for new buildings, driving animals out and leaving them vulnerable and without shelter. For example, many species have become endangered in the Amazon rainforest due to deforestation aimed at clearing land for urbanization. Moreover, the noise and pollution from cities drive away creatures from the areas adjacent to the settlements, thus leaving even less room for wildlife.
Secondly, large cities are mainly responsible for the waste of clean water, fossil fuels and food. Many citizens are not aware of how valuable clean water is nowadays and are apt to squander it on washing their cars or by taking long showers. Furthermore, heating people’s homes, public and private transportation require large amounts of gas and gasoline. Food is also a major problem in large cities. In the countryside, areas are less densely populated and growing enough food is not an issue. However, in an overcrowded city, some people will experience a scarcity of products, as issues arise with supplying food.
Finally, cities are a main cause of air, water and soil pollution. Burning fuels for heating and transportation purposes emits large amounts of pollutants in the atmosphere, and because trees are cut down, there is no way to limit pollution. In addition, water purification plants cannot cope with the amount of sewage produced and unclean water is released into rivers and streams. Growing enough food for urbanized areas requires pesticides, which enter the soil and can have negative consequences later on.
To sum up, cities are a major threat to the environment, as natural habitats are turned into neighborhoods, valuable resources, like water and food, are wasted, and dangerous toxins are released into our surroundings.
