Fresh Air vs. Time Square

       The debate has been going on for years but the actual trends are showing that urban living is winning over country life. An article from the Population Reference Bureau  Organization reports that of 2008 the United Nations has found 50% of earths population is living in urban setting. I’ve lived in neighborhoods and in the  country and as a result I am firmly a country girl.  Furthermore, I’ve always thought that people lived in the city out of necessity. “Who would live in such cramped quarters right up in everyone’s face?” was my thought. I have friends and relatives who tell me of the benefits of close stores, community, easy transport and other perks, but I internally thought of the apparent love for city life as a kind of “Stockholm syndrome”. People had to live there so they decided to find something to like rather than be miserable. I have been learning that this is not necessarily the case. Some people who have the option of living elsewhere still choose the city over the country side. Apparently there is more in this issue that I had previously thought.
Population trends are showing us that as the years progress, a larger and larger percentage of earths population are urban dwellers. Part of this is due to the fact that there are more cities, but the issue runs much deeper than that. Jobs, housing, educational facilities and community centers are just a few of the things that are more abundant in cities. Another cause for urbanization has to do with the productivity of the country dwellers themselves. As methods of production become more efficient, crop yields are higher. This allows the use of less land to supply the same amount to people.
While country living has traditionally been thought of as “earth friendly”, urbanization has is ecological pros and cons as well. More people living in a smaller space allows less use of land. The condensed population also makes it easier to supply food, electrical, transportation and many other needs.  On the other hand, more condensed populations are more susceptible to disease and a higher concentration of waste. They also drastically change the environment.
One thing to remember about the “urbanization” topic is that the term “urban” has many different meanings and connotations. Urban can mean simply “non agricultural”.  Many small towns are classified as urban but don’t fit the city connotation.  As in most things, the definition isn’t what matters, the actual concept is. For me, “urban” is being able to see into your neighbors house from your driveway. I guess people becoming more urban doesn’t mean there is more country space, but that the cities are expanding. This worries me a little, but I’m confident that country living will continue to be an option. Long live the country!