Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation

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It is ironic when a national American epidemic has barely been dealt with as such. The sprawling and malling of America has had grave effects on the overall welfare of Americans. Instead of dealing with this menace, the problem is only encouraged with an increasingly large amount of migration to the suburbs. The general inclination of people to live in low-density environments, along with misguided notions of a better life away from the city only contributes to urban sprawl. Based off much research, this issue seems to have always been a challenge for Americans and will only get worse. In truth, there are many advantages to living in a high-density neighborhood. Although studies say that cities with forces of suburbanization have the highest…show more content…
This expansion has sacrificed the uniqueness and tranquility of previously untouched land and has transformed them into a carbon copy of every other town in America. Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser deals primarily with the changing effects of the fast food industry to American life. He connects this change to the revolutionary changes that have affected Colorado Springs in recent years (7). The case of Colorado Springs is a prime example of the grievance of urban sprawl. Schlosser narrates the story of the once “beautiful and serene” land having its “city’s population more than doubled” (1, 7). He also notes the disturbance of “subdivisions, shopping malls, and chain restaurants” to the city (7). This is just one case of the force of suburbanization destroying thousands of cities in…show more content…
Benfield describes the environmental consequences of urban sprawl in detail. The process against urban sprawl will “help[] to save the landscape… reduce[] pollution and consumption of resources… [and] share infrastructure” (1). Not only that, but it would “reduce[] energy consumption, carbon emissions, and other environmental impacts” (1). Similar to the Colorado Springs situation, urban sprawl will urbanize previously undeveloped land. This abuse of land will leave little arable land left for the population to use or develop. The best way to fight this is through “strong, compact… communities” that “do not encroach places of significant natural value”

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