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Believe it or not there are ways people may be harming the environment without actually knowing it. If you really think about it though there are many ways you can help prevent harm to the environment. One of them is limiting car usage. The advantages to giving limits to this could be very helpful to restoring our world.

A city in Germany has gone the extra mile to solve problems due to car use. What the residents of Vauban, an upscale suburban community have done is, they have all given up their cars. Street parking, driveways, and garages are not allowed. The only way to park is to buy a parking spot along with your home for $40,000. Because of this movement 70 percent of families there do not own cars and 57 percent sold theirs to move to Vauban. A media trainer and mother of two said that when she had a car she was always tense but now is much happier. This no car movement is called "smart planning". A reason it started is because studies have shown that passanger cars are responsible for 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in europe and up to 50 percent in america. The basic ideas from Vauban are being adopted around the world attempting to make suburbs more compact with less space for parking. Now in the US many agencies are promoting car reduced communities. Also legislators are starting to act. Many say public transport in suburbs will play a much larger role in a new 6 year federal transportation bill to be approved this year. More suburbs like this one could change the world.

In Paris there had been days of near-record pollution. To help clear the city's air Paris enforced a partial driving ban. Monday, moterists with even numbered liscence plates were forced to leave their cars at home or pay a $31 fine. Rejecting the fine resulted in having your car impounded. As a result 60 percent of congestion was down in France's capitol. The smog due to car usage was cleared enough on monday to rescind the ban for odd numbered plates the next day. In Columbia a similar day is taken place every year. A car free day where people hiked, biked, skated and took buses to work instead of driving their cars. If you violated this you would be fined $25. Even in rainy weather people participated just to help lower stress and air pollution. This campaign has sparked a revolution. It has also created the construction of 118 miles of bike paths, parks, and sports centers. It has caused the replacement of pitted sidewalks with broad smooth ones, cut traffic, and new resturants and upscale shopping districts have appeared. If every country had a day like this we could make a unbelievable difference.

According to recent studies Americans are buying fewer cars, driving less, and getting fewer liscences each year. Even though America has basically been the birthplace of cars and is one of the world's prime car cultures its love seems to be cooling down. The number of miles driven in the US peaked in 2005 and steadily declined in the years following. In april 2009 the number of miles driven per person was 9 percent below its peak and equal to where it was in 1995. Part of the problem has most definitely been recession but as the economy recovers the decrease in driving has not changed. According to a research proffessor at University Of Michigan car ownership per household started to lower two to three years before the downturn. If this trend persists it will have benificial implications for carbon emmissions and the environment. One of the things causing this is the internet which allows people to feel more connected to eachother without driving to meet friends. Also people car-pooling and biking have helped. There has been a large drop in peoples age 16-20 getting their liscence. They organize summer jobs and their social lives around where they can walk or take public transportation, or carpool. Between 2001 and 2009 driving by young people decreased 23 percent. All of this helps conserve resources, lower emissions, and improve safety.

In conclusion there are many advantages to limiting car usage. Many communities have taken part of this trend and it is rapidly being recognized around the world. Taking part in this helps the community and environment. Anyone can do it.

Score: 4