The most basic and persistant form of transportation that has been around for centuries has been the use of cars. Hundreds of thousands of people use automobiles to get to their destinations in a quicker and more efficient way. Recently, all over the world, places like Germany and Paris have been rethinking their dependency on cars. Ongoing issues regarding pollution and stress have all been traced back to using a car daily. By limiting everyday car usage, greenhouse gas emissions, constant road rage, and lack of space for other recreational purposes will decrease or even be eliminated.

Pollution and global warming is a growing problem that has been affecting animals, people, and the air that we breathe. Slowly, the polluted air is becoming more and more infected. Cars and their tailpipes are a main contributor towards this issue. Studies have shown that "passenger cars are responsible for 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe... and up to 50 percent in the United States" (Rosenthal 1). The gas that is being released into the air does not have any way of being recycled. With a large amount of gas being released daily, the air can quickly become polluted with toxins and gas that normally is not used in the human body. In Paris, the intensifying smog caused a buildup of car traffic, which "rivaled Beijing, China, which is known as one of the most polluted cities in the world" (Duffer 1). Also, Paris had been found to have more smog that the other European capitals had, "[last] week Paris had 147 micrograms of pariculate matter per cubic meter compared with 114 in Brussels and 79.7 in London" (Reuters 1). This was purely because of the amount of cars, scooters, and buses that Paris has roaming around the cities. The decision to ban car use for odd-numbered license plates cleared the smog that prevented the drivers from using their cars.

Road rage is common in drivers that constantly have to deal with pedestrians, other cars, and the amount of traffic lights on the streets. The instinct to yell and become angered while driving has developed and grown into stress that affects an average person. Heidrun Walter, a mother of two, has ditched her car and resorted to using her own two feet as her way of transportation. Walter says "When I had a car, I was always tense. I'm much happier this way." Instead of having to hear honks and beeps from incoming cars, she is surrounded by the calm streets filled with bicycles, wandering children, and the occasional automobile. Being a part of the suburban neighborhoods means that a quiet and serene environment is typical and common. Therefore, being thrusted onto the busy streets may be an enzyme to stress and road rage.

Recreational areas, such as parks and shopping centers, are a way of allowing people to relax and enjoy their free time. However, buildings are being demolished to make rooms for new highways and roads to allow for more efficient ways of traveling for the excessive amount of cars that there are on the streets. There are attempts being made to "make the suburbs more compact and more accessible to public transportation, with less space for parking". Also, stores are beginning to be placed on a main street, instead of in shopping malls alongside highways (Rosenthal 1). These ideas take away from living spaces and create difficulty for those who want to go into a store. In Bogota, Columbia, Mayor Antanas Mockus has created a program that bans cars for the Day Without Cars. This day is part of an idea and campaign to reduce stress and air pollution. Since this day began in the mid- 1990's, "parks and sport centers have bloomed throughout the city; uneven, pitted sidewalks have been replaced by broad, smooth sidewalks; rush- hour restrictions have been dramatically cut traffic; and new restaurants and upscale shopping districts have cropped up" (Selsky 1).

Since the invention in the 1800's, cars have been depended on to take one or more people from Point A to Point B in a safe and fast way. For centuries, that has been a reasonable form of transportation. But as air pollution is increasing, drivers are becoming more angry, and land space is being taken up by new roads and streets; the idea of cars is being frowned upon. "President Obama's ambitious goals to curb the United States' greenhouse gas emissions, unveiled last week, will get a fortuitous assist from a incipient shift in American behavior..." (Rosenthal 1). Limiting car use allows for a healthier environment filled with other forms of transportation like walking, biking, and etc. Countries are beginning to form bans on cars forcing fellow citizens to lower their car usage. Last year, Bill Ford created a business plan in order to change America's way of transportation. He vowed to adjust future and current 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", eventually creating a better world for generations to come.