You have a point, Rhea... but totally unscientifically, I find it hard to believe that 1000 acres of farmland creates more problems than covering that 1000 acres with apartments, tract housing, auto malls, more shopping centers with the exact same stores and restaurants as the one 5 miles down the road... you get the idea... even if it's aestetics only... I'd prefer farm land. No doubt, work still needs to be done with farm owners regarding water use, land erosion, and pestisides, but covering the area in asphalt can't possibly be better???