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People all over the world use cars to drive to work or take their children to school. To most people, the automobile is an everyday part of life. But there are downsides to the extreme usage of cars. Some people are noting this trend and are begining to limit their car usage. Two of the many advantages of limiting the use of cars are that it promotes alternative forms of transportation and it also reduces air pollution.

One positive effect of less cars is the improvement of other forms of transportation. In the article "In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars", by Elisabeth Rosenthal, the author talks about a car-free town, Vauban, Germany. Because there are not cars, people are forced to use other forms of transportation. Instead of using cars, mothers and their children walk everywhere, people ride their bikes to the store, and a tram is used to go to downtown Freiburg. Another place where transportation has benefited from a car-free society, is Bogota, Columbia. According to the article "Car-free day is spinning into a big hit in Bogota", written by Andrew Selsky, since car-free day began, bicycle and pedestrian-friendly areas have been improved. For example, since the 1990s, 118 miles of bicycle paths have been built in Bogota. "Parks and sports centers have bloomed throughout the city; uneven, pitted sidewalks have been replaced by broad, smooth sidewalks; rush-hour restrictions have dramatically cut traffic; and new restaurants and upscale shopping districts have cropped up", writes Selsky. Promotion of other transportation, such as walking, is just one of many benefits of limiting car usage.

Another major advantage of limiting the use of cars is the reduction of air pollution. "Passenger cars are responsible for 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe...and up to 50 percent in some car-intensive areas in the United States", Rosenthal writes in "In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars". By driving less, we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. "Paris bans driving due to smog," by Robert Duffer, is a prime example of the reduction of air pollution after limiting car usage. "After days of near-record pollution, Paris enforced a partial driving ban to clear the air of the global city", writes Duffer. One Friday, the smog of Paris "rivaled Beijing, China, which is known as one of the most polluted cities in the world". On the following Monday, motorists with even-numbered license plates were ordered to leave their cars at home or suffer a $31 fine. After only one day with less cars on the roads, the smog had nearly dissappeared. This shows that even a day with less cars can make a huge difference in the amount of air pollution. Rosenthal's article, " The End of Car Culture", states that many sociologists believe that if the pattern of less cars continues, "it will have beneficial implications for carbon emissions and the environment" because transortation is America's second largest sourse of carbon emissions. Less air polution is a very important advantage of less cars.

Overall, there are many advantages of limiting the use of cars. Not only does it promote and improve other forms of transportation, but it also decreases the amount of smog and air pollution, which are harming our environment.

Score: 5