[busterarm]

What was the environmental impact of replacing whatever was in these urban environements with concrete, steel and asphalt?

Literally just looking at the economics here, I'll say again.

[TT3351]

Of course that has an impact too; I hope you do realize the exploitation of and the health of the environment is actually very closely intertwined with the economy. There is fundamentally no way to "literally just look[] at the economics." All land use has an impact.