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The Way In Which We Move

Here in America, with our "broad expanses and suburban ideals" (Rosenthal, para. 3),  the automobile is the way in which we move: it takes us to school, to the office, to our homes, to the homes of others, to distant, unexplored places. Entire buildings and businesses are dedicated to this wonderful invention. However, as American culture shifts and we focus less and less on the car itself, the advantages to limiting our use of this tool become increasingly evident: less polluted air, more cost-friendly alternatives, and the bonding of whole communities. This turn-away from a car-focused society could certainly change the American perspective on the automobile industry as a whole.

Cars, despite some of their clear advantages, cannot provide the necessary advantage of less-polluted air. Automobiles in the United States can produce up to 50 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in car-intensive regions; European passenger cars can produce up to 12 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions in Europe (Rosenthal); without cars, these greenhouse gas rates dramatically drop. One example of this is the temporary ban of driving a car in Paris due to record-breaking smog levels. According to an article by Robert Duffer, "Congestion was down 60 percent in the capital of France, after five-days of intensifying smog," and that colder nighttime weather and warmer daytime weather caused the warmer air to "trap car emissions." People from other countries also seem to be enthusiastic about limited car use and its effects. Carlos Arturo Plaza of Bogota, Colombia, who participated in his city's 3rd annual Day Without Cars, says that " 'It's a good opportunity to...lower air pollution' "(Selsky). In our own country, as Americans buy less cars and register for less driver's licenses, sociologists can conclude that "it will have beneficial implications for carbon emissions and the environment, since transportation is the second largest source of America's emissions, just behind power plants" (Rosenthal, para.6). A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions will allow cleaner air, which could eventually lead to healthier living standards across the globe, as well as healthier and more diverse ecosystems and biomes. With the limited use of cars, this could all be a possibility.

Not only will this restriction of car use allow for less air pollution, it could also lead to producing more cost-friendly methods of transportation. Cars and their accessories are often expensive to maintain and to purchase, so the creation of other ways to get around are a must to those who cannot afford such maintenance or purchases. In a passage by Andrew Selsky, he states that Bogota's Day Without Cars has allowed for the "construction of 118 miles of bicycle paths", along with "broad, smooth sidewalks", to travel on. In the booming and populous city of New York, its bike-sharing program and "skyrocketing bridge and tunnel tolls" (Rosenthal) allow the world to see the shift towards cheap yet affective alternatives to transportation. Michael Sivak, research professor at the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute, has a son who uses Bay Area Rapid Transit, even though it often takes longer than driving, simply because it is cheaper and a car is simply "not a priority" (Rosenthal). Alternative transportation is definitely on the rise as car usage becomes less and less of a trend.

While all of these advantages to limited car use affect us all, the one that will most directly and immediately affect people is the bonding of whole communities. When car use is reduced, there is more opportunity for interaction with others, whether it be through modern technology such as the cellphone or social media, or through face-to-face communication as seen in a good old-fashioned conversation between two people. Various factors, according to Mimi Sheller, professor at Drexel Unviersity, are accountable for this community bond: the Internet, which allows for connection with people without driving to meet them; the "renewal of center cities" to draw in "empty nesters" (Sheller, Rosenthal); as well as carpooling apps and services. Vauban, an entirely car-free suburb in Germany, has adopted a no-car policy in an attempt to separate suburban life and automobile use, an asset in a new project known as "smart planning." This separation allows its citizens to have more personal interaction, with its businesses being a short walk from their homes and less space to park a personal automobile. This compacted suburban example in distant Germany is also being adopted in some places in America as well, and it may eventually be the future of American suburb life. With these changes come more and more opportunity to delve a deeper connection with the citizens who live in your area.

America has long been pictured as "one of the world's prime car cultures" (Rosenthal). It's the home of many famous and renowned automobiles, including the Ford Model T and Detroit, Michigan, where Chrysler automobiles are manufactured and exported all over the globe. However, as the United States evolves into a different sort of country, so does its focus on the car. Restricting use of the car offers up many advantages to its citizens: less greenhouse gas emissions, more cost-friendly options to transportation, and the opportunity to bond with your community. As the American Dream continues to change, so will the way in which we move.

Score: 5