Cars, they help us get from point A to B in a shorter amount of time, but at what cost. Cars are a large source of stress, produce large ammounts of pollution, and seem, even now, to be going out of style. Cars are a luxury, not a necessity, and now they might not even be as usefull. More and more people are putting down the car keys and choosing instead to take a bike or bus. Cars are just too stressful to be a necesity.

In Vauban, Germany, many people are giving up engines. According to the

New York Times,

"70 percent of Vauban's families do not own cars," showing that life can go on efficiently even without a car. Life might actually improve without those money eating tanks. "When I had a car I was always tense. I'm much happier this way" says Heidrun Walter, a media trainer and mother of two. This car free philosophy is even becoming a trend! There are hundreds of groups in the United States promoting communities that are more independent of cars, called "car reduced" communities. But stress isn't the only thing cars produce. Cars are huge contributers to pollution, and reducing car usage would greatly benifit the enviornment.

Passenger cars are responsible for 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, and up to 50 percent is some car-intensive areas in the united states, acording to the

New York Times . Paris actually enforced a partial driving ban to clear the air of the global city after days of near-record pollution. The ban was enforced with a $31 fine. Even with 4,000 drivers fined, congestion was down 60 percent and the smog cleared enough that the ban could be lifted the next day. Using more enviornmentally inclined sources of transportation will deffinetly help leave a cleaner planet for future generations, and the generations already here. Cars are conveinient for short term gratification, but the long term effects might devastate the enviornment. Cars are not needed, and might not even be prefered for much longer.

A study last year found that driving by young people decreased 23 percent between 2001 and 2009 in the united states. Bogota, Colombia even becan a "car-free day" in wich all cars, besides busses and taxis, are banned in this capital city of 7 million for an entire day. Violaters of this ban are fined $25. "It's a good opportunity to take away stress and lower air pollution," said businessman Carlos Plaza. This event is even starting to spread. For the first time two other Colombian cities have joined the event. Using cars is becoming less and less common, and it's a trend the enviornment can enjoy.

In conclusion, cars are a hiderance. Cars are stressful and cumbersome objects, getting rid of them would help reduce stress in the population. Cars are high contributers to pollution, creating smog and causing problems. Also, cars are a comodity that is being used less and less. People are putting down the car keys and picking up a bike. So why not join the trend?