CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY GEOGRAPHICAL ISSUES IN GEOGRAPHICAL ISSUES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIASOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

URBAN SPRAWL AND SUBURBANIZATIONURBAN SPRAWL AND SUBURBANIZATION

Horizontal growth with no real main city centerHorizontal growth with no real main city center

Land hunger & developmentLand hunger & development Destruction of natural environmentDestruction of natural environment OverdevelopmentOverdevelopment Examples: north Orange County Examples: north Orange County

development of houses in Los Coyotes development of houses in Los Coyotes Hills.Hills.

South Orange South Orange County- development County- development of houses along the of houses along the Laguna coast.Laguna coast.

Destruction of farmlandDestruction of farmland

Example: there are no Example: there are no more orange groves more orange groves in Orange County; in Orange County; dairy farmers pushed dairy farmers pushed further inland and further inland and subject to harsher subject to harsher environmental environmental conditions.conditions.

Growth of freeway systemGrowth of freeway system

Promotes urban Promotes urban spawlspawl

Long commuting Long commuting timestimes

Economic and Economic and environmental environmental inefficiencesinefficiences

LA’s infamous freeways!LA’s infamous freeways!

Growth of shopping malls & other Growth of shopping malls & other service developmentsservice developments

Example: Irvine Example: Irvine CenterCenter

Has lead to Has lead to increased traffic, increased traffic, increased pollution, increased pollution, increased risk of increased risk of flooding, & flooding, & destruction of natural destruction of natural environment.environment.

Possible Solutions???Possible Solutions???

Enacting growth Enacting growth boundaries as they boundaries as they did in south Orange did in south Orange County with the County with the development of a development of a wilderness park.wilderness park.

Developing Developing alternative alternative transportaion such transportaion such as the development as the development of the rapid rail link in of the rapid rail link in LA (metrolink).LA (metrolink).

Developing fee-Developing fee-paying freeways paying freeways such as the San such as the San Joaquin Joaquin Transportation route Transportation route in south Orange in south Orange County.County.

But…….CAN DEVELOPMENT BE But…….CAN DEVELOPMENT BE STOPPED???????STOPPED???????

By 2020 there will be Six millions new By 2020 there will be Six millions new residents in southern California!residents in southern California!

IMMIGRATIONIMMIGRATION

Large influx of Large influx of immigrants from immigrants from MexicoMexico

Latinization of Latinization of southern Californiasouthern California

““La Reconquista”?La Reconquista”? English vs SpanishEnglish vs Spanish

Increasing amounts Increasing amounts of illegal immigrationof illegal immigration

Possible solutions??Possible solutions??

Increased border Increased border patrols and securitypatrols and security

Building of ‘tortilla’ Building of ‘tortilla’ curtaincurtain

Amnesty of illegal Amnesty of illegal immigrantsimmigrants

Development of Development of MexicoMexico

Social InequalitiesSocial Inequalities

Development of the Development of the ‘hourglass’economy‘hourglass’economy

Growth of work in the lower Growth of work in the lower end of the economic scale- end of the economic scale- not many unemployed but a not many unemployed but a large amount of working poorlarge amount of working poor

Many immigrants work in the Many immigrants work in the ‘hourglass’economy‘hourglass’economy

In Los Angeles there are In Los Angeles there are many craft industries with many craft industries with workers from developing workers from developing countries.countries.

Rise in homelessnessRise in homelessness

There is a great There is a great demand but lack of demand but lack of affordable housing.affordable housing.

The housing prices in The housing prices in southern California southern California are among the are among the highest in the U.S.highest in the U.S.

Social SegregationSocial Segregation

Ghetto housing Ghetto housing among many ethnic among many ethnic minoritiesminorities

The ‘super rich’ are The ‘super rich’ are only 45 minutes only 45 minutes away!away!

Development of Development of independent independent enclaves of affluent enclaves of affluent White residents- the White residents- the ‘gated communiy’‘gated communiy’

Unequal social and Unequal social and economic disparities economic disparities have led to social have led to social unrest; ex; 1995 Los unrest; ex; 1995 Los Angeles riots.Angeles riots.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

Earthquakes!Earthquakes!

San Andreas fault line San Andreas fault line runs very closely to the runs very closely to the most urbanized areas. It most urbanized areas. It has many ‘tributary’ has many ‘tributary’ faults which criss-cross faults which criss-cross the LA basin.the LA basin.

There is constant There is constant earthquake danger and earthquake danger and seismologists are still seismologists are still predicting the ‘big one’.predicting the ‘big one’.

One of the ways the One of the ways the region is trying to region is trying to mitigate any major mitigate any major earthquake disaster earthquake disaster is through stricter is through stricter building codes as building codes as well as through well as through emergency emergency preparedness preparedness programs.programs.

Flooding!Flooding!

Despite it being a Despite it being a drought area, SoCal can drought area, SoCal can be hit by severe flooding be hit by severe flooding if it does rain. The soil if it does rain. The soil can often not cope with can often not cope with high levels of high levels of precipitation.precipitation.

Overdevelopment has Overdevelopment has increased flooding which increased flooding which has led to more flash has led to more flash floods, mudslides, and floods, mudslides, and landslides.landslides.

The region is The region is focussing on focussing on strengthening its strengthening its river levees, the river levees, the building of more building of more storm drainage storm drainage systems and dams, systems and dams, as well as a program as well as a program of afforestation.of afforestation.

Fires!Fires!

These often occur These often occur after the summer after the summer with the approach of with the approach of fierce Santa Ana fierce Santa Ana winds.winds.

This has led to This has led to destruction of lives destruction of lives and property; ex. and property; ex. San Diego fires 2007San Diego fires 2007

Government policy is Government policy is focussing more focussing more attention on the need attention on the need for controlled for controlled development. There development. There is an awareness of is an awareness of the risks of housing the risks of housing construction in a dry, construction in a dry, desert environment.desert environment.

Droughts and Water Droughts and Water Shortage!Shortage!

This is a water-This is a water-deficient region due deficient region due to high population to high population growth, high demand growth, high demand for water, and a very for water, and a very dry environment with dry environment with high evaporation high evaporation rates. Most water rates. Most water has to come from has to come from elsewhere.elsewhere.

There has been an There has been an increase in water increase in water conservation conservation programs.programs.

There has been an There has been an increase in small-increase in small-scale water control scale water control projects.projects.

Air Pollution!Air Pollution!

SMOG! Due to high SMOG! Due to high population growth, population growth, many industries and many industries and cars and ‘unfriendly cars and ‘unfriendly Geography’.Geography’.

Development of Development of photochemical smog photochemical smog and related health and related health issues.issues.

Possible solutions…..Possible solutions…..

Smog devices on Smog devices on cars with stringent cars with stringent emission controls.emission controls.

Public educationPublic education Smog alertsSmog alerts

CarpoolingCarpooling

Growth of ‘fee-Growth of ‘fee-paying’ freewayspaying’ freeways

Development of rapid Development of rapid transit systemstransit systems