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Many people dream of buying a new car by the time the reach the age of sixteen once they finally obtain their liscense. However, in recent years, a large population of people have stopped feeling the need for private transportation and have sold their cars and trucks or moved to areas where things such as public transportation, biking, and walking are cheaper and more efficient alternaives. Choosing not to own a passenger car can lead to less emissions, save space, and improve the quality of life for citizens in a city.

Transportation is the second largest contributor to greenhouse gases, behind only power generation. "Passenger cars are responsible for 12 percent of greenhouse gas emmisions in Europe . . . and up to 50 percent in some car-intensive areas in the United States." (Source 1) Limiting the use of private transportation will bring about cleaner skies, greatly reduce the amount and effects of acid rain, and impede upon the progression of the destruction of our ozone layer in the atmosphere that helps to protect us from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. If more and more people in not only developed but also developing countries choose to become car- and truck-free, "where emissions from an increasing number of private cars owned by the burgeoning middle class are choking cities," (Source 1) our Earth will become a much cleaner and healthier place for young and old alike.

There have been many previous efforts to make cities denser and more walking- and biking-friendly, but most of these advances have been limited by or even been put to a stop because of the need for an excessive amount of large roads and space for parking for the huge amount of private passenger cars found in cities and suburbs today. Reducing the amount of cars on the road can free up space for more important things such as housing, shops, financial districts, and even parks or other recreational areas that can be more inviting to citizens rather than the loud hustle and bustle of high-density roadways. "'All of our development since World War II has been centered on the car, and that will have to change,' said David Goldberg, and official of Transportation for America, a fast-growing coalition of hundreds of groups in the United States . . . who are promoting new communities that are less dependent on cars." (Source 1) Removing the problem of private transportation from city planning and development can greatly increase the quality and efficiency of our city's layouts.

Many people consider New York City to be the "city that never sleeps," because of the loud and constant noise of outside motors revving and angry drivers honking their car horns. New York City, along with many other large cities, face this problem which has been growing since the late 1940's. With the rise of reduced dependency on private means of transportation, places such as the more populated areas of New York may finally be able to take a nap. "BOGOTA, Colombia- . . . millions of Colombians hiked, biked, skated or took buses to work during a car-free day yesterday, leaving the streets of this capital city eerily devoid of traffic jams." (Source 3) Noise isn't the only quality of life improvement that citizens of large cities can experience with a drop of the amount of cars on streets and boulevards. Levels of smog, a mixture of smoke a fog caused by excessive amounts of greenhouse gases being pumped into the air, would also start to fall down to a point where they would barely be noticable. "After days of near-record pollution, Paris enforced a partial driving ban to clear the air of the global city . . . Congestion was down 60 percent in the capital of France, after five-days of intensifying smog . . . The fog cleared enough Monday for the ruling French party to rescind the ban for odd-numbered plates on Tuesday." (Source 2)

Limiting car use can be extremely beneficial if executed correctly. These benefits include a cleaner city, more efficient uses of space, and an increase in the desirability of larger cities and towns. Overall, a reduction to the amount of private vehicles on the road would be a great improvement for a multitude or reasons.

Score: 5