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Aiden’s Add-On: West Coast population explosion demands climate conscience

Compared to the Midwest and its neighbors, the West Coast is expanding in historic numbers. From retirees moving to smaller cities and California migrants moving to once quaint towns outside of the state, there are a number of locations now flooded with new market demands. This hunger for expansion raises pressing questions of climate sustainability that are necessary to consider. 

The Pacific Northwest has overseen a noticeable growth in its population. According to the NW News Network, Idaho’s population increased by over 2% in an annual study from 2016 to 2017. In that same year, the state of Washington gained 200,000 new residents. That is roughly the population of Akron, Ohio. Major cities such as Boise, Idaho, foster growing tech industries and many are drawn to the natural landscape of states such as Washington and Nevada. 

However, dry conditions persist in the western U.S. As groundwater stores decline and wildfires increase, urban growth only casts more pressure on the natural environment. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the top five recorded wildfires have happened since 2000. 

This creates an environment where the U.S. economy grows exponentially but at a cost. Housing remains a significant issue along the West Coast, especially in states such as California. Homeowners spend 10% more of their income on housing than the national average, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Housing availability is also relatively low, and cities along the West Coast struggle to maintain their population booms. 

While increasing the housing supply is a viable issue, cities must reckon with unsustainable housing projects that contribute to urban sprawl. Per Business Insider, new home constructions cost an average of $355,000 in the Western states. As housing prices increase, families must spend larger portions of their income to survive, which decreases their healthcare mobility and access to quality groceries. 

In an area where more people make their homes and subdivisions expand along the boundaries of forests and deserts, heat waves appear with greater frequency. In Sept. 2024, the growing SunBelt experienced heat waves in record numbers. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the average heat wave season is 49 days longer in the 2020s than in the 1960s. Last September, heat-related illnesses doubled in California, Nevada and Arizona. 

Consequently, growth must be followed by questions of sustainability. Where housing increases, so must access to green spaces and public parks. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, carbon sequestration occurs when trees grow and trap carbon in their roots and wood. The rise of green urban planning should include more abundant tree canopies along pathways, parks and backyards. This creates cities more resistant to climate change in the face of urban explosion along the West Coast. 

A recent study by The Conversation maintained that in megacities such as Los Angeles, each square kilometer of tree cover saved $0.93 million in air pollution-related health care costs and $478,000 in conserving building heating and cooling costs. Investments in a sustainable future have tangible results for the present. 

From the beauty of Mount Rainier to the peaks of the Sierra Nevada, expansion must be sought with a conscience. In a political environment so enchanted by today’s progress, an investment in tomorrow’s future will keep the West Coast a viable option for decades to come. 

Aiden is a freshman studying journalism. Please note that the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Aiden? Reach him on Instagram at @aiden_with_an_i_ or email him at ar260223@ohio.edu.

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