Much of the discussion surrounding urban sprawl has been focused on smart growth. Smart growth can loosely be defined as a program which encourages less stratified, higher population densities. New York has been hailed for its ability to maintain a high population density as well as several highly concentrated economic centers. Other regions labeled with smart growth such as Portland, have done exactly that. They have grown strategically to lessen the burden of civilizations on themselves and on nature. These strategies provide better public transportation, better communities, and a lesser environmental impact. Yet this vision of growth remains. It is continually fuel by our way of life, only to encounter small patches of relief. We’ve been digging deeper into our hole, never looking upwards to see that we can’t dig ourselves out even if we dig slower.
What I find troubling is that growth is part of the vision we continue to live. On one hand the global populations footprint can be seen nominally if you count the surface area occupied by humans, hence the fear of physical overpopulation seems far fetched. On the other hand the measured impact of humans on global warming IS A FACT. It seems many remain delusional and content, thinking it is still an issue up for debate.
We are nature. We live and die, but our impact on the survival of other species is a responsibility we are unable to fathom. Some claim “survival of the fittest”, as the justification of our dominance over other species and their elimination. Evolution is not simply the survival of the fittest; it is also the growing diversity of the various species which inhabit our space. The elimination of diversity is de-evolution.