City Folk are Bad

A view along Tunapuna showing the evidence of high population.

            People, without them urban areas would be non-existent. Urban hubs are man's creation which has one main commonality no matter where they were developed, and that is to gather people. Nothing is more evident here than the influence of people. They cluster, either on foot or in cars, in the streets of Tunapuna all with their own agenda. However, this clustering is degrading our environment.

            Urban centers like Tunapuna attract people into and around its central district. They provide numerous human needs including services, jobs and resources in a centered zone. They are also the location key activity such as commerce. Hence, it is no wonder why people readily flock to these places. Consequentially, this trend has caused congestion and several environmental concerns.

            As people gather, more and more resources are needed to maintain the rising population. Hence, the idea of carrying capacity can be highlighted, where an area can only manage a certain amount of individuals given its resources. Population increases in these urban centers drains the resources of the environment. Food, energy and raw materials are extracted readily to sustain the mass of people. The removal of these resources not only occurs in the urban center but in is taken from places outside these areas as well, thus according to Rees (1992) "urban areas appropriate the carrying capacities of distant "elsewheres"." Hence, issues such as habitat destruction, greenhouse gas emissions and depleted landscapes are prevalent due to the increase of urban densities (Verbrugge and Taylor 1980).

            Altogether, the urban population of Trinidad as depicted is causing harm to our environment. However, there is no easy solution, since these zones readily invite people. Therefore, the need for sustainable growth is always a key matter.

References

            Rees, William E. 1992."Ecological footprints and appropriated carrying capacity: what urban economics leaves out." Environment and urbanization 4, no. 2.

            Verbrugge, Lois M and Ralph B Taylor. 1980."Consequences of population density and size." Urban Affairs Review 16, no. 2.