The environmental effects of aggressive land consumption are varied and serious. Sprawl contributes significantly to the pollution of both our air and water. With development comes pavement, and this has caused our waterways to suffer as well. Roads, driveways, and parking lots cover areas that previously supported trees and grasslands. Rainwater becomes run-off, which increases flooding and carries sediments and pollutants into our waterways.
Contaminated water is bad for our health as well as the livelihood of aquatic species.
The most direct effect of sprawl, however, is the outright destruction of species habitat. To satisfy the unlimited desire for new land, forests are cut, wetlands are filled and drained, and grasslands are paved. Unfortunately, most kinds of plants and animals cannot survive on developed land. The sprawl problem is particularly pressing in southeastern Pennsylvania . This is approximately twice the national rate of green space consumption.