The Land of Oil Leaks and the Home of Pollution
Transportation over the years has undergone many developments and
enhancements. In the early days, walking and horseback riding were the
primary means of transportation. Now, most of us get around in cars
buses, trains, and airplanes, etc. Though we obviously need different
types of transportation in order to get to different places, modern forms
of transportation have had an appalling and alarming effect on the urban
environment. Water is becoming very toxic due to pollution. This is due
to the fact that when it rains, the water flows into the Potomac River
from paved roads, polluting it with all the debris and chemical waste
from the road. This makes activities like swimming and fishing not only
difficult but dangerous. Air is also affected tremendously by
transportation. The exhaust from the cars, composed in large part of
carbon monoxide, pollutes the air. Washington D.C is one of many urban
areas where the air quality is poor.
Land is also threatened. In rural areas, forests and trees will soon
disappear due to the constant demand of sprawl housing, a form of housing
that is very dependent on automobile ownership and the construction of
highways. The impact of sprawl affects the entire region. Without land,
our world will become overpopulated and natural disasters will become
overwhealming.
We need to use more public transportation. If it requires more Metro
station to be created to reduce the overall pollution and ensure the
longevity of the urban environment, then the city should make the money
available.
by Jonis Belu
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