The City Reader - Suburban Sprawl

Blake’s last blog discussed the effects of sprawl on the growing town of Brunswick, while Sarah considered its influence on the small island of St. Simons. Both of these segments rely on the assumption that suburban sprawl will continue to extend its reaches. However, following my search on James Kunstler and suburban sprawl, I found an article in BusinessWeek about Kunstler’s hypothesized correlation between cheap oil and suburban sprawl. Given the supply constraints, he believe that our growing dependence on oil will ultimately be the end of sprawl. Cheap oil and a surplus in land allowed us to diffuse from large cities in order to procure the “American dream.” Starting families in new homes with front yards and safe neighborhoods was once the ideal lifestyle, however, it may be time to rethink the American dream. Kunstler believes that as our supply of oil becomes scarce, the economy will also suffer as will the stability of the United States infrastructure. Our dependence on oil influences the way we produce food, the way we conduct commerce, and the way we travel. In the end, huge chains like Walmart will collapse due to the reduced energy reserve. The populace will no longer have the comfort of relying on large superstores and metroplex cities. Rather, small communities may be revived, leading to a potential impoverished America.