Car usage is a global concern that needs to be solved soon because it is significantly harming our planet. Limiting car usage can affect our society in many different ways. Over the years, the usage of cars has helped us in multiple manners, but it has also harmed us in many ways. Elisabeth Rosenthal wrote on her article titled “The End of Car Culture” that “recent studies suggest that Americans are buying fewer cars, driving less and getting fewer licenses as each year goes by” (source 4). While this might be true, our planet still has a long way to go in order to reduce pollution and many other problems that are being caused as a result of car usage. The use of automobiles is greatly impacting our environment in negative ways. It also impacts …show more content…
Limiting car usage is a crucial factor to reduce pollution in our planet. This is due to the fact that automobiles are a “huge impediment to current efforts to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions” (source 1). Additionally, shortening the usage of cars may help the population to have a better health. In the capital of Colombia, Car-Free is an event during which “millions of Colombians hiked, biked, skated or took buses to work” (source 2). This helps the environment because fewer cars are being used, therefore, less pollution will happen as a result. This event also benefits the population because they will be exposed to a small amount of toxic air and will be more active during that …show more content…
Pollution destroying our planet, this is greatly due to the emissions from cars. The continuation of car usage will eventually hurt the ozone layer even more, as a result, the environment will be damaged. This is a worldwide issue that concerns many, including President Obama and his “ambitious goals to curb the United Sates’ greenhouse gas emissions” (Source 4). Paris is one of the most polluted cities in the world. Robert Duffer stated in the article “Paris bans driving due to smog”, that “After days of near-record pollution, Paris enforced a partial driving ban to clear the air of the global”. This city spent “five days of intensive smog” (Source 4), which eventually rivaled “Benjamin and China, Known as the most polluted cities”. This pollution greatly impacted the environment in a damaging manner, this was because the emissions of cars were trapped in “the warmer layer of air”. After a few days, “the smog cleared enough” (Source 2), but the damage was already done. This shows how car emissions can impact the environment negatively, and the importance of reducing the usage of cars.
To conclude, reducing car usage can impact our society in numerous positive ways. Although attempts to reduce car usage have been made by individuals, there is still much to do about this issue. The reduction of car usage can benefit
Since the birth of automobiles in 1866, the majority of mankind has relied heavily on this mode of transportation, especially in the United States. According to the California DMV there are 24,290,288 licensed drivers in California (DMV, 2013), which is approximately 63.3% of the population. Ever since the invention of automobiles, gas emission into the atmosphere has become one of the biggest issues for mankind. In Garret Hardin’s essay, The Tragedy of the Commons, Hardin defines a common as a resource that is accessible for everyone in society. Clean air became a modern commons in this sense. The quality of air is especially bad in California where there are 31,388,901 registered vehicles for a population of 37,826,160. In 2012, the quality of air hit a record low in California’s Central Valley. If we continue to dismiss the issue of air pollution, we will gravely endanger our health as current air pollution related health effects already include lung diseases and cancer. The solutions to the smog pollution problem are to develop cleaner emission engines, as part of a technical solution, as well as raise awareness among the residents of the Central Valley.
Automobiles play an essential role in American society. As if being the major means of transportation was not impressive enough, automotives can be seen on T.V., in movies, in magazines, and can sometimes be indicative of a person’s wealth and social status. On average, Americans drive nearly 40 miles and drive for just over 50 minutes driving per person per day (http://www.bts.gov). That means a person spends roughly one-sixteenth of a day driving. It would make sense, then, to make such an essential part of society as efficient, cost effective, and clean as possible. However, that is not the case. As the years have passed cars have actually begun to move away from efficiency. Hawken writes, “[The automobile] design process has made cars ever heavier, more complex, and usually costlier. These are all unmistakable signs that automaking has beco...
Automobiles play a major role in today's society. Almost every American owns at least one motorized transportation vehicle. Some say they make our lives better by reaching places faster than before. Others say they are a harmful to the environment. Have they made our society better or worse? They may be fast, but do we as humans want our environment to suffer because of time. Face it, cars pollute. And they release destructive chemicals into the air. Air pollution can threaten the health of many subjects in the environment including human beings.
The automobile has made a dramatic impact on many different aspects of American society. The automobile industry has aided in the creation of malls and other large shopping areas, theme parks, hotels and motels, highways, and assorted drive through businesses such as banking and fast food. The vast popularization of cars and other automobiles has also impacted society negatively. Car accidents and other auto related death has increased as well as noise pollution, and the formation of a larger carbon footprint. The popularization of cars has also lead to a greater dependence on fossil fuels and other natural gases (Cohen). The creation of the first automobile had a severe impact on the lives of ordinary people. The automobile created a new lifestyle
There are a number of measures that have already been shown to have a positive effect on the environment and, if we redouble our efforts, could help to reverse the situation. I believe that, while it is true that there is a lot of negative news to this situation, there are many positive and effective actions that can be taken to restore a lot of what we have lost, or are in danger of losing. Consequently, a number of feasible measures can be implemented which will go a long way in slowing, stopping and, over time, reversing some of the harm caused. Initially, and perhaps the most important, is that we need to tackle the problem of carbons in our atmosphere. Consequently, if CO2 emissions are cut or drastically reduced, this will in turn help to reduce the level of greenhouse gases meaning that further global warming will diminish. (Climate Change Evidence and causes, 2013:33) This can be done in a number of ways. By continuing to develop new, greener technologies, cars and traffic in general will become cleaner, emitting fewer exhaust fumes and releasing less carbon into the air. This is already being done. At the recent UN climate-change conference in Doha, some 37 countries agreed to abide by legally-binding emission reduction measures. (Figureres C, 2012) We have seen the development of more efficient engines and hybrid models that use both petrol and electricity. Electric-only vehicles are also becoming more popular and new designs that are powered by solar energy are coming onto the market. Industry is also looking at ways to harness bio-mass and the possibility of hydrogen engines. These measures have already had a noticeable effect on the quality of life in a number of
Imagine that you’re driving on an open highway in the middle of summer. All you see in front of you is asphalt for miles and miles. The windows are down and your favorite song comes on the radio. You’re behind the wheel of a Tesla Model S, the newest electric car that can go from zero to sixty miles per hour in 2.4 seconds. This will soon be the future of all motor vehicles. Electric cars are beginning to have colossal impacts on our society because of their energy efficiency, performance benefits, and the fact that they are less harmful to the environment. In the near future, electric cars will dominate the road and eventually the planet’s overall need for oil will decrease immensely.
Purchasing a car is one of the hugest or biggest accomplishments that a person can achieve on their own. However, what happens when that purchase turns out to also be the worst decision that was ever made? The purchase was a success and a goal was achieved, but the moment the key is turned and the engine is started the contribution to environmental harm begins. As the car is driven, the gasoline fumes that are released from the car contribute to the other many factors and pollutants that damage the environment. Not only is the purchase now a contributor to the depletion of clean air, but it could also play a part in the depletion of someone’s health. For example, asthma or bronchitis could develop in an adult or child as a direct result of breathing in noxious automotive fumes. Depending on where one lives, there could be strict regulations on air pollution. One must be accountable for any and all contributions made to the demise of what was once a healthy Earth. One must be accountable for his or her own carbon footprint. Some individuals have taken steps to reduce their carbon footprints and cause less harm to the environment by purchasing electric cars.
(http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/air-quality/the-air-we-breathe/) Decreasing the amount of air pollution we create is very doable. We can limit our driving time by carpooling with others, walking to closer places, biking, or by using public transit. Purchasing energy efficient devices and alliances will certainly keep the amount of air pollution down too. Examples would be fluorescent light bulbs, efficient dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators and many more. On the other hand, air pollution isn’t the only pollution we’re responsible for.
Today, people use their own personal vehicles to travel more than ever before. Personal transportation is no longer considered a luxury; it is now considered a necessity. The number of cars in the United States has been growing steadily since the 1970s. The number of miles traveled by cars has risen nearly 150 percent, yet the United States population has only grown roughly 40 percent during that time (hybridcars.com, Driving Trends). Although it may seem like we are advancing into the future, in reality, we are moving backwards from the effects these vehicles have on our bodies and the environment. The pollution produced by these vehicles has brought us to the day where we must find other modes of transportation that cause less harm to the world in which we live. Advances in technology have developed hybrid vehicles to try and slow down the amount of pollution. Driving a hybrid vehicle, instead of a conventional gas powered vehicle, can reduce the amount of pollution that affects our lives and the environment around us.
Car pollutants cause immediate and long-term effects on the environment. Car exhausts emit a wide range of gases and solid matter, causing global warming, acid rain, and harming the environment and human health. Engine noise and fuel spills also cause pollution. Cars, trucks and other forms of transportation are the single largest contributor to air pollution in the United States, but car owners can reduce their vehicle's effects on the environment. Car pollution is one of the major causes of global warming. Cars and trucks emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which contribute one-fifth of the United States' total global warming pollution. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, which causes worldwide temperatures to rise.
To begin the negative effects of automobiles are very mild and should not be taken too seriously although it sounds bad the positive outweighs the negative. Automobiles deplete a good amount of natural resources such as steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, and rubber (The Environmental Impact of Automobiles). Because of automobiles air pollution has lost wheat, corn, soybean, peanut crops about one point nine to 4 billion dollars in crops (The Environmental Impact of Automobiles). The U.S alone uses over 10.8 million barrels of oil each day just to keep automobiles running (The Environmental Impact of Automobiles).
If a person living in a city living in the city goes out for a walk, they will see that everything is perfect. The air is fresh and the beaches are clean and the sea waters look crystal clear. Even though everything looks right, problem still persists in other parts of the world. A lot of people’s thinking about the environment is confined to their surroundings and where they live, so they do not realize that the environment is in danger because of their actions. What should come into their concern first is that even though everything looks perfect, their community and surroundings are also polluted. In cities, the streets and the parks may be sparkling clean, there is no guarantee that the air is clean. In large cities, megapolises and metropolises, a major mode of transportation are cars. Car usage produces a lot of carbon dioxid...
Every other day a new industries are being set up, new vehicles on roads and trees are being cut to make way for new homes. All of them, indirect way lead to increase in CO2 leads to melting of polar ice caps which increase the sea level and pose danger for the people living near coastal areas. Pollution can have an impact in our health not only affects people with impaired respiratory system such as asthmatics, but very healthy adults and children too. Exposure to pollution for 6 to 7 hours, even at relatively low concentrations, reduces lung function and induces respiratory inflammation and, healthy people during periods of moderate
The fast population growth rate of humans means that the necessity for transportation vehicles is also enormously increasing. Studies have shown that in 1999 the worldwide number of vehicles registered was 700 million. From this huge number of vehicles, the US has a large share, which includes 200 million cars and light trucks. The number of cars worldwide also grew three times faster Competition for good things like public health, making the earth safe to live are positive aspects of competition, but global competition can also have a downside concerning the environment. This is true for the production of vehicles, as companies are coming with designs and new models with improved engines, but fuel consumption and the pollution of the air remains the same.
In this modern era, the level of pollution worldwide has been increasing consistently which in turn has brought harm to humans via many different ways. Consequently, the government must find a solution to solve this problem as speedily as possible. However, banning the ownership of private vehicles is not the only and definitely not the best way to decrease pollution. Although carbon emissions from vehicles do contribute towards a significant amount of pollution, banning the ownership of private vehicles in modern day society is unnecessary because pollution can also be caused by many other factors such as bad lifestyle choices on humanity’s part, lack of stricter or enforcement of environmental laws by governments as well as the fact that vehicles are an essential part of modern city life.