We currently live in a world dependent on machines; becoming more and more enveloped in this idea of reliance. However, now we have reached a point where that reliance is harming us and our planet, and it will continue to do so if we don't adjust our lifestyles. Seeing as that we've recently reached that point of realization, we are starting to limit ourselves to the things that do harm our planet, including limiting the usage of cars. Living in the twentieth century almost inevitably means relying on cars for transportation. Although it may seem impossible to convince so many to pursue this act of limiting the usage of cars, it is surely not impossible, as we've seen from the recent efforts made around the world. It will take time to adjust to the drastic change, but the benefits are worth the while. A few of the many advantages include, the conservation of our valuable space, improving the quality of our environment, and allowing for the opportunity of new ideas, developments, and change.

The first of the advantages may not be the first you would think of, yet it is certainly an important one. By limiting our use of cars it would save and replenish our amount of space that we currently have available. It's not only the cars themselves that take up space, but it is also the space left for street parking in the big cities, the massive parking garages used at shopping malls, and the driveways and garages at the houses in large suburban neighborhoods. This method of limiting the use of cars as been successfully applied to a town in Germany, known as Vauban. In Vauban, '' [r]esidents of this upscale community are suburban pioneers, going where few soccer moms or commuting executives have ever gone before: they have given up their cars '' ( '' In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars'' ). The town of Vauban, has given up their areas of street parking, driveways, and home garages to limit--almost entirely--their use of cars. With the removal of all traces of automobile usage, some may be concerned about how they are expected to reach their desired destinations, but in Vauban and many other places preparing the follow this plan, stores will be placed '' a walk away, on a main street, rather than in malls along some distant highway '' ('' In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars'' ). Although some may be concerned with the potential limit on their car usage, they must be reminded that the space originally used for cars will certainly not go to waste, and will be used for bigger and better purposes that will not harm our planet.

This second advantage is the one most associated with the limit put on our use of cars--the improved quality of the environment. The environment can be improved with the decrease of greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn improves the quality of the air that surrounds us. Our President, Barack Obama, has '' ambitious goals to curb the United States' greenhouse gas emissions '' ( '' The End of Car Culture '' ), but that can only be done with the cooperation of the citizens. Fortunately, that cooperation has been seen with the '' fortuitous assist from an incipient shift in American behavior '', in which '' recent studies suggest that Americans are buying fewer cars, driving less and getting fewer licenses as each year goes by '' ( '' The End of Car Culture '' ). It is understood by professionals, that if the pattern continues, '' it will have beneficial implications for carbon emissions and the environment, since transportation is the second largest source of America's emissions '' ( '' The End of Car Culture '' ). Although some may be reluctant to pursue the path of limiting their use of cars, they should be well informed that by doing so, they are improvong their overall state of living by not producing these harmful properties that are being released into the air that we breathe.

This last advantage is most likely the most considerably accepted by the public, because of its simplicity on their part and the benefits they recieve from it. With the limit put on the use of cars, that allows for the opportunity of new ideas, developments, and change. The idea of limiting the use of cars has gone global, from Germany to Colombia to France, this idea is quickly becoming one widely accepted by the public and their officials. The idea of a car-free dat has sprouted from Colombia, in which the citizens of Colombia are encouraged tohike, bike, skate, or take the bus to work rather than using cars for transportation ( '' Car-free day is spinning into a big hit in Bogota '' ). The public has responded positively to these recent changes, saying, '' ' It's a good opportunity to take away stress and lower air pollution ' '', which was spoken by '' Carlos Arturo Plaza as he rode a two-seat bicycle with his wife '' ( '' Car-free day is spinning into a big hit in Bogota '' ). Not only have new opportunities for the public been introduced, but so have new developments. The new developmets include '' [p]arks and sports centers...uneven, pitted sidewalks have been replaced by broad, smooth sidewalks...and new restaurants and upscale shopping districts '' ( '' Car-free day is spinning into a big hit in Bogota '' ). The citizens of various cities can also expect to see plans in which '' ' pedestrian, bicycle, private cars, commercial and public transportation traffic are woven into a connected networl to save time, conserve resources, lower emissions, and improve safety ' '' ( '' The End of Car Culture '' ).

There have been many advantages associated with a limit put on the use of cars, including the conservation of our valuable space, the lowering of the greenhouse gas emissions, and the opportunity for new ideas, developments, and change. All of these advantages can be fulfilled to their entire purposes, but it is a group effort as a planet. We can continue to live in the luxury of these advantages, as long as we do our part to limit our use of cars.