Environmental costs include pollution of water from contaminated urban runoff, decreased air quality, increased use of pesticides for lawns, the destruction of wildlife habitat, and loss of wetlands. Watershed quality depends on undeveloped natural open land. Scientists say that sprawl has surpassed industrial pollution as the leading threat to the Great Lakes. Expanding one form of infrastructure does lead to the loss of another, as we see in this cartoon by Tom Toles.

As our little friend in the lower-right corner says, "Think of it as an investment."