I beam, flashing a smile towards the camera of my mom's iPhone. In my hand, I grip a four-by-three inch square of plastic that, in my perspective, is synonymous with freedom. It's the moment every kid dreams about, lying belly-down on the kitchen floor and pushing a Barbie jeep around their mother's feet as she labors away at the stove, the stark scent of garlic filling their little noses. Finally, I got my driver's license! While definitely a defining moment of adolescence, most teenagers refuse to acknowledge the degrading qualities of driving. Limiting car usage has a multitude of benefits, such as decreasing air pollution and improving the health and quality of life of the world's people.

As a new driver, there is nothing I despise more than waking up to servere smog, squinting as I corral my vehicle down blurred roadways en route to school. By utilizing my own vehicle, however, I am adding to the problem. Smog and other forms of un-aestetic air pollution are caused in part by the greenhouse gas emissions from cars' tailpipes. In the United States, passenger cars are responsible for up to 50% of greenhouse gas emissions. (Source 1) Another large percentage of these emissions comes from the unefficient, energy-wasting, carbon-spewing processes required to create gasoline and diesel fuel. Essentially, we emit large amounts of greehouse gases to produce fuel for our vehicles which, in turn, release more greenhouse gases. As an AP Environmental Science student, I know better than anyone the degrading results of excessive greenhouse gases. As these particles accumulate in the atmosphere, light from the sun, including harmful ultraviolet rays, stays trapped in our planet, causing a gradual rise in average temperature. This process is known as global warming. Besides being dangerous to our planet, air pollution is unappealing visualy to all inhabitants of Earth. Smog once reached such high levels in Paris, the capital of France, that a partial driving ban was placed on the city to purify the air. After one day of diminishing the number of cars on the roads by 50%, the smog had cleared enough for civilians to continue their daily activities. (Source 2) The grotesque images associated with smog can harm Paris' economy; tourists want to view the Palace of Versailles with a tear in their eye from its beauty, not from the sting of air pollutants.

Limiting car usage also has a variety of physical and psycological benefits that improve the health of earth's people. For example, a suburban community in Germany, known as Vauban, has gone completely car-free. 57% of Vauban's residents sold a car to move in and, so far, the majority of them seem to be enjoying the benefits. Heidrun Walker, a media trainer and mother of two, is one of them. "When I had a car, I was always tense," she said, "I'm much happier this way." (Source 1) Walker's statement shows the improved psychological well-being of those who do not rely on cars for the majority of their transportation. Decreased reliance on motor vehicles can also improve the physical health of humanity. Without personalized vehicles for transportation, many people will walk, jog, bike, or skate to their various destinations. Such a phenomenon occurs annually in Bogota, the capital of Columbia. Every year, they host a "Day Without Cars", during which Columbians rely on their own two feet to move about their sprawling city. (Source 3) Physical activities such as walking have a variety of benefits, including increased cardiovascular health. If more countries hosted events similar to Bogota's "Day Without Cars", emergency rooms may find they have less clogged arteries to deal with.

Limiting car usage has many pros, including decreased air pollution and increased mental and physical well-being of the world's people. The next time you unlock your car to drive two minutes to your friend's house, stop and consider the consequences of your actions. Consider the health of yourself and your planet, and try walking instead.