Urban sprawl is the outward spread of cities into rural areas. Which environmental impact is most commonly associated with urban sprawl?

• A. Increased car dependency and greenhouse gas emissions
• B. More efficient public transit
• C. Decreased energy use
• D. Higher urban density

Answer: (A)

Sprawl spreads cities outward in low-density patterns where homes, shops, and workplaces are far apart. This setup makes walking or biking less practical and public transit harder to operate efficiently. Because people end up driving longer distances just to get to work, school, and services, car use—and thus fossil-fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions—tends to rise. That combination is the environmental impact most commonly linked to urban sprawl.

The other ideas don’t fit as well: spreading out development hurts, not helps, efficient public transit because routes and ridership shrink with low density; energy use doesn’t typically go down since vehicle fuel use increases even if homes may be energy-efficient; and higher urban density is the opposite of sprawl, which is defined by lower density.