There are few people who can can imagine living a full life in this generation without thewse glorified metal boxes with wheels attached to them; even fewer set living a life similar to that as a goal. The advantages of limiting the amount of cars being used are suprisingly unique due to the dwindling amount of disadvanteges there are. Some of these advantages include reduction in greeenhouse gas emissions and that there will be a reduction in smog. It is always nice to see humanity band together, willingly or forcefully, to work for a common good.

Let us begin with the most pressing issue: preserving the environment. Studies have shown that nearly "12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe...and up to 50 percent in some car intensive areas in the United States." come from passenger cars (Rosenthal 1, 5). Reducing these greenhouse gases, which pose a threat to the Earth's atmosphere, would be an improvement, although slow, still an improvement nonetheless. While this would not be the immmediately noticable of changes, making an effort to cleanse our cities of pollution would be.

Moving on, some places have taken this matter into their own hands, matters that some would describe as extreme. Paris, France is one of these examples, "enforcing a partial driving ban to clear the air of the global city...motorists...ordered to leave their cars at home or suffer a 22-euro fine..." (Duffer, 10-11).It is pleasant to see a city taking this matter into their own hands. This ban, though, did spark an uproar on the Internet, but it did die down. Many approaches to cleansing city-air have been drastic, but others such as in Columbia, had some sort of event where "the goal is to promote alternative transportation and reduce smog." (Selsky, 21). This did allow a public freedom, despite there still being a fine in place. The remarkable fact of this is that even though cars are being banned, a large portion of the targeted population actuallly do not mind the change, even "'the rain hasn't stopped people from participating'"(Selsky, 23).

Suprisingly enough, this car-ban revolution is still going on today. Many more people are starting to realize the benefits to the ban. Elisabeth Rosenthal, in her article

"The End of Car Culture"

even adds in that many "sociologists believe...it will have beneficial implications for carbon emissions and the environment..."(34). This simply furthers the ideal that humanity as a whole CAN see a chance to change, wants to desperately do so, and WILL do so...eventually.