Now, for some people, cars are a way of life. Nothing pleases them more than the feeling of a stering wheel on their hands, or the growl of a healthy engine. Those people probably could never live without their cars, but you probably can. Well, maybe not living without cars entirely, but at least reducing your use of them. It'll be a lot safer for the environment, and it'll cause a lot less traffic jams. So let's see why you can go a few more days without your prized Hoda Civic.

Now, you've probably had this fact jammed down your throat more times than you care to count, but, cars produce a lot of gas, which isn't really easy on the environment.  According to the New York Times article, "In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars" by Elisabeth Rosenthal, "Passenger cars are responsible for 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe...and up to 50  percent in  some car-intensive areas in the United States." And according to the Chicago Tribune article, "Paris bans driving due to smog" by Robert Duffer, "Last week Paris had 147 micrograms of particulate matter (PM) per cubic meter." So, less car usage means less greenhouse emissions. Yes, there are cars out there that are more "fuel-efficient," but they still require lots of energy from the environment. Not only that, but using your car less often will mean that you won't have to deal with one of the biggest evils in the world.........traffic.

Now, think, when have you ever been stuck in traffic and actually enjoyed it? Now, if you were to ride a bicycle or take a subway, you wouldn't have to deal with that! Already, some cities around the world are finding alternative ways to avoid those jams. "Car-free day is spinning into a big hit in Bogota," by Andrew Selsky, tells of how the capital of Colombia is doing so. "It has seen the construction of 118 miles of bicycle paths...Parks and sports centers also have bloomed throughout the city; uneven, pitted sidewalks have been replaced by broad, smooth sidewalks; rush-hour restrictions have dramatically cut traffic; and new restaraunts and upscale shopping districts have cropped up." This means you'll be able to get to work or to that first date a lot quicker! Sure, people using less cars would strike a big blow in the automobile industry, but you don't neccesarily have to never drive a car again! What about on those long road trips, or when you have to carry a lot of passengers with you? A car would come in handy in such scenarios, but not neccesarily every scenario.

In summary, driving less would be more efficient because it means cleaner air and less highway congestion. So, after reading all of this information, do you think that you have what it takes to get from point A to point B without having to get into a driver's seat? can you take your hand off of the steering wheel long enough to open yourself up to other transportation options? Go ahead, try.