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Countries and cities all across the world are joining in on the "no car" trend, and it seems to be no passing fad. From Germany, to France, to Columbia, to the United States, everybody is trying to start drving less for a cleaner, happier world. Countries' governments everywhere are trying to get people off the roads and start biking, walking, or using public transportation instead. As the people in these countries have learned, there are many advantages to giving up drving cars, if even only for a few days rather than their entire lives.

The main advantage is a cleaner planet. Emissions that cars release play a large role in the world's air pollution. Carbon emissions create smog that makes the sky grey, damages our lungs, and harms the plants that give us clean air. Due to carbon emissions from cars, Paris once had as much smog as "Beijjing, China, which is known as one of the most polluted cities in the world" (Source 2). If we start driving less cars it will have really beneficial implications for the environment, especially "... since transportation is the second largest source of America's emissions, just behind power plants" (Source 4). Imagine what positive effects banning cars would have on the population's and world's health.

One positive effect would be a lot less stress. Driving is a dangerous activity where you are constantly putting yourself at risk. Many people realize this and tend to be scared of driving or are constantly nervous when they drive. Rushing to drive to work on time also creates negative stress. Says German media trainer and mother, Heidrun Walter, of no longer owning a car, "When I had a car I was always tense. I'm much happier this way." Daily long commutes are also a large determining factor in someone's mood. Some people have to drive for hours a day just to get to their already stressful job and then again when they go back home. This creates for a very unhappy society. Now there are a couple of good things that come from a society that is no longer obsessed with car culture. One thing is that "the Internet makes telecommuting possible and allows people to feel more connected without driving to meet friends" (Source 4). This lessens the need have a car to take you to distant places. With the banning or lessening use of personal vehicles cities and towns are being rebuilt. "In this new approach, stores are placed a walk away, on a main street, rather than in malls along some distant highway" (Source 1). This has encouraged healthier and cheaper modes of transportation such as walking, skating, bicycling, and public transportation such as buses.

Fewer cars and this rebuilding of cities saves you money and commute time. Just think about all those rising gas prices. You don't need to pay tolls when you walk, or get fined when you run too fast. Prices for parking spots and passing tolls are going up anyway. It's an easier and cheaper alternative to just walk or bike somewhere. Public transportation like buses and subways cost a lot less too. Studies have found that fewer people are buying cars and getting their licenses; it's for a reason.

Lastly, not only are leaders across the globe joining in on the idea of life without cars, but so are car-selling companies. "Companies like Ford and Mercedes are already rebranding themeselves "mobility" companies with a broader product range beyond the personal vehicle" (Source 4). Even Bill Ford, executive chariman of the Ford Motor Company proposed a business plan in which "personal vehicle ownership is impractical or undesirable." Ford suggested becoming partners with the telecommunications industry to create cities in which "pedestrian, bicycle, private cars, commercial and public transportation traffic are woven into a connected network to save time, conserve resources, lower emissions and improve safety" (Source 4).

So next time you think about buying a new car or driving to work all buy yourself, try to rethink your actions and imagine the effect it will have on not only you, but everyone around you. Maybe you can bike to work if it's not that far, take the bus instead, carpool with some coworkers. The planet and future generations will thank you if you just limit your car usage, even a little bit at a time.

Score: 5