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The most compelling change that suburbs did to the United States was to leave abandonment and decay to the inner cities. The middle classes moved out to the suburbs leaving behind buildings that were already not up to par. New people bought the buildings and rented them out and left them to the renters, not fixing up the buildings, allowing them to decay into further and further decrepitude. These people became known as the slum landlords. The majority of the slum landlords lived in the suburbs or the country. So urban blight became the norm for the inner city.

Then we have what is called urban sprawl, which is actually what happened when the suburbs became too populated and became part of the city. People would just build outside the city to get away from the city but as more and more people did this their suburb became part of the city. The most prevalent example of this is Los Angeles.

Today, the suburbs are eating up the countryside. Farmers die and their children inherit the land and then sell it unwittingly to developers who are in it for the money. The developers usually do not care about the environment, biodiversity, or ecosystems. They care only about the money they are making. When the developers take over new land that was previously forest or farmland they completely destroy the ecosystems of the natural habitat of wild animals and birds that live in this habitat. They also dig up the land and destroy and pollute the natural aquifers of groundwater that is pure water for people and animals to drink. When animals lose their natural home they have to go other places, upsetting the natural order of things. The bear and deer populations have been greatly affected by this upheaval of their natural habitat, which has created a much greater tick population which in turn has made it easier for the spread of lime disease.

Developers build houses out in the country. People build houses out in the country. If the country is close to a city and is built up by one-acre plots it eventually becomes the suburb. This destroys farmland and discourages new farmers. Farmers have to move further and further inland. With the destruction of farmland and less farmers, larger and bigger farms are bought up and amalgamated together by huge Corporations. The people then rely on food from large supermarket conglomerates for their food supply rather than buying locally or growing their own food.

Now there are too many empty houses everywhere. That keeps the real estate market going. They always have something to sell. Millions of houses are for sale all over the country because they are unoccupied because developers buy up land and build new houses. The new houses are sold and there are the old houses out there not being sold.

Another thing that happens with the buildup of the Suburb and the downfall of the inner city is that more money for schools goes to the schools in the suburbs rather than inner city schools and the inner city children therefore lack the same amenities given to the suburbanite schools. This in turn causes not only the blight of inner city residences but also a lower quality of education for the inner city child.

Suburbia also causes a frustrated American Dream for the many people who would like to escape the inner city and get to the suburbs.

In conclusion, the suburbs have changed the United States in many ways by causing blighted cities; the destruction of farmland, ecosystems, and water supplies; unequal education for America's school children, and a frustrated American Dream.

Learn more about this author, Colette Georgii.
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