Car-Free Cities:

"In German suburb, life goes on without cars," "Paris bans driving due to smog," and "Car free day is spinning into a big hit in Bogota". This and many more reasons about the advantages of limiting car usage in cities around the world.

In many places around the world goberments have been working on plans and laws to reduce car induced smog and pollution. this has brought the creation of entire citites and comunitites as well as country wide bans of car usage in order to reduce smog and other car related problems.

For example as in the following excerpt from "Paris bans driving due to smog", by Robert Duffer, from the Chigago Tribune. "After days of near-record pollution, paris enforced a partial driving ban to clear the air of the global city... On Monday motorists with even-numbered license plates were ordered to leave their cars at home or suffer a 22-euro fine ($31). The same would apply to odd-numbered plates the following day." the ban was enforced causing up to 4000 drivers to be fined, acording to Reuters (an international news agency), of which some had their cars impounded for their reaction to the fine, although thanks to this ban the smog cleared enough Monday for the ruling French party to rescind the ban for odd-numbered plates on tuesday

I believe that, if the smog could have been reduced so drastically with only one day of partial car baning, then the amount of smog and pollution can be reduced much more with open colaboration from the people all around the world.

One mayor discomfort from opposing parties would be "how can people live without cars?" But, people are already living without cars as explained in the excerpt "In German suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars", by Elisabeth Rosenthal, form the New York Times. "VAUBAN, Germany-Residents 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. Street parking, driveways and home garages are generaly forbidden in this experimental new district on the outskirts of Freiburg, near the French and Swiss borders. Vauban streets are completely car-free -except the main thoroughfare, where the tram to downtown Freiburg runs, and a few streets on one edge of the community. Car ownership is allowed, but there are only two places to park-large garages at the edge of the development, where a car-owner buys a space, for $40,000, along with a home. As a result, 70 percent of Vauban's families do not own cars, and 57 percent sold a car to move here. -when I had a car I was always tense. I'm much happier this way,- said Heidrun Walter, a media trainer and mother of two, as she walked verdant streets where the swish of bicycles and the chatter of wandering children drown out the occasional distan motor." As proven by this excerpt, life without cars is posible and as pleasant to the people living like this as it is good to reduce pollution on cities.

Many in Europe have taken the "Vauban" way of life for many suburbs in the cities. Another program is the "Car-Free day" in Bogota, Colombia. as explained in the excerpt "Car-Free day is spinning into a big hit in Bogota," by Andrew Selsky, from the Seattle Times. "BOGOTA, Colombia-In a program that's set to spread to other countries, millions of Colombians hiked, biked, sated or took buses to work during a car free day yesterday, leaving the streets of this capital city eerily devoid of traffic jams. It was the third straight year cars have been banned with only buses and taxis permitted for the Day Without Cars in this capital city of 7 milion. The goal is to promote alternative transportation and reduce smog. Violators faced $25 fines. -It's a good opportunity to take away stress and lower air pollution,- said businessman Carlos Arturo Plaza as he rode a two-seat bicycle with his wife. For the first time, two other Colombias cities, Cali and Valledupar, joined the event."

In conclusion, many cities all around the world have problems dealing with pollution generated by cars. taking this universal problem into account the goberments have placed into action plans, laws, and experiments to reduce the pollution on their cities and countrys. life without cars is a posibility that more and more people are trying to turn into a reality. Creatin bans on usage of cars, new holiday-type days without cars to promote the usage of alternative transport methods in various countrys, and even hole cities were cars can't be in. a citie without cars can also be beneficial in taking away stress, reduce unnecesary costs, and in all just having a better life cuality breathing clean and safe air while enjoying the peace and tranquility of and entire citie without cars.