Cars are an essential part of life; they get us from place A to place B, but so do bikes, buses, trains, and your very own feet. In Vauban, Germany, residents have gone where few soccer moms or communting executives have ever gone: they have given up there cars. "Residents of this upscale community are suburban pioneers." (Rosenthal 1) In a world filled with pollution, stressed adults, and unhealthy people the advantages of limiting car usage are infinite.

Limiting car usage in the world would most definitely reduce the amount of pollution that is ruining our ozone layer. If it wasn't for the ozone layer humans would be long gone and wouldn't come back any time soon. In Paris, France, the goverment enforced a partial driving ban because of the near-record pollution. "On Monday motorists with even - numbered license plates were ordered to leave their cars at home or suffer a 22-euro fine. The same would apply to odd-numbered plates the following day." (Duffer, 11) After five days of partial driving, congestion was down an incredible 60 percent. What if after five days they kept going? The city would look and feel brand knew and it would be safe for citizens  to breathe the air.  Similarily, our very own President Obama is trying to curb the United Sates' greenhouse gas emissions. " As of April 2013, the number of miles driven per person was nearly 9 percent below the peak and equal to where the country was in January 1995." (Rosenthal 32) This means that people are choosing better ways to get from place A to place B, and if this trend persists ".. it will have beneficial implications for carbon emissions and the environment..." (Rosenthal 34) As you can see, there is hard eveidence that limiting car usage in the world would reduce the amount of pollution.

Furthermore, limiting car usage would help to relieve the stress of our everyday lives. How much traffic will there be? Am I going to get to work on time? Oh my god, I am out of gas and I passed the nearest gas station? Heidrun Walter, a citizen of the car-free Vauban, Germany, says," When I had a car I was always tense. I'm much happier this way" Also, the stress levels of adults get higher when they become parents who have children driving. I know my mom doesn't sit through a full car ride with me without stomping on her imaginary brakes. But, it seems to be that, "there has been a large drop in the percentage of 16- to 39 year olds getting a license.." (Rosenthal 38) Moreover, even one day without driving makes the Columbians in Bogota, Columbia, less stressed and more relaxed. Business man Carlos Arturo Plaza rode a two-seat bicycle wih his wife to work that day. He says, " It's a good oppurtunity to take away stress and lower air-pollution." (Selsky 24) Limiting car usage, like these small cities have done, helped to relieve stress of their citizens which is why it is a huge advantage.

Lastly, limiting car usage would better the well being of our fellow citizens. Imagine, a business man who works in an office for 10 hours and then gets home just in time to eat and catch a few hours of quality television. When does this man have time to exercise? He sits in his car, sits at work, sits to eat, and sits to watch tv. If we limited car usage, this man would have to ride his bike or walk to the bus stop to get to work everyday, which is good for his health. Similarily, we have children who spend more time in front of a computer screen than playing outside like children should. But, what parent would let there kids play outside when there's tons of cars on the road? In Vauban, Gemrany, the streets are filled with bicylcles and the chatter of wandering children beacuse there are no cars to be afraid of. Limiting car usage can better the well being of oursleves and everybody around us.

In conclusion, there are many advantages of limiting car usage in the world today. On every sidewalk, you would find relaxed and healthy people breathing clean and healthy air. We can 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." We will never achieve a perfect world but it is not romantic or naive to work towards one.