Benefits Without a Car

Could you imagine your life without a car? It seems impossible if cars wouldn't exist. Did you know that there are cities where people have'nt used their cars for a whole day? While in others people dont ever use cars. People think that without a car they're nothing, and that life is totally different. But there is something very interesting happening around us, in other countries which is the reason why they've stopped using cars for a while. The polluted air due to cars in doing no good for us. Think about it, maybe you could might live without are car for a day for an important cause.

First thing first, we should learn how people live in other countries without a car. It sounds weird to us, but it's something normal for them. There is forbidden to have home garages and to park cars on street in Vauban, Germany. According to Elizabeth Rosenthal, Vauban, Germany has gone from a city with cars to people giving up their cars. "street parking, driveways and home garages are generally forbidden in this experimental new district on the outskirts of Freiburg, near the French and Swiss borders"(Rosenthal, paragraph 2). This place is "car free" except for the downtown area and a few streets of the community. She also states that other countries like the US experiments more problems in pollution."passenger cars are responsible for 12% of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, and up to 50%

in some car-intensive areas in the US"(5). People walk way more in Europe, they dont suffer much from air pollution.

Additionally, Paris has enforced a partial driving ban to clear the air of the global city. These cities have stopped using their cars for a while to help calm the air pollution. "On Monday motorists with even numbered license plates were ordered to leave their cars at home or suffer a 22-euro fine ($31)" (Robert Duffer, paragraph 11). Although that people were not supposed to us ehtier cars that day, 4,000 drivers were fined according to Reuters. The cause for not driving for that day was because the cold nights and warm days caused the air to trap car emissions. Another reason for car free in Paris is because of the micrograms found. "Last week Paris had 147 micrograms of matter (PM) per cubic meter compared with 114 in Brussels and 79.9 in London, Rueters found"(Duffer, 17). Its an advantage to prevent car usage because the smog is clearing in these cities.

In similarity, millions of Colombians hiked, walked and did many other activities without touching a car to prevent the smog. These cities are working together to make the world a better place. "In a program that set's to spread to toher countries, millions of Colombians hiked, biked, skated or took buses to work during a car-free day yesterday"(Andrew Selsky, paragraph 20). The goal is to promote alternative transportation and reduce smog, and they achived it. That day without a car was an improvement camapign in Bogota. Surprsingly, in the US recent studies have stated that Americans are buying fewer cars and driving less each year that goes by. "if the pattern persists- and many sociologists believ it will- it will have beneficial implications for carbon emmisions and the environment"(Elizabrth Rosenthal, paragarph 34). There has also been changes in the US. Driving less has stopped air pollution.

In conclusion there are benefits without a car. Benefits for the world around us, and well you might get some stress out if you start walking, hiking, or riding bycicles for a while. It's incredible just to think of the idea that many countries have stopped driving for a day to make their country or city a better place. While in cities like Vauban, Germany people live without cars. Thats what makes their city different. Even though they do also let these things happen for a right cause. I think that we could live without a car for one day, it's not a big deal, really. It's to make the US a better place.