Cars are producing the “largest amount of air pollution” not industry. In 1997 there were about 500 million cars and by 2010 there are expected to be 750 million cars. Many cities are not planned with public transport in mind and it is almost necessary to own a car.
Excluding damage to the environment and the social costs, the “economic cost of traffic congestion, in terms of squandered energy and lost time, is about $150 billion per year.
A study done in San Francisco shows that with increased traffic there is less social interaction between neighbors. Think how this affects what values children are taught. It encourages thinking more for oneself. I think a community is very important for citizens. It seems to me that the closer the individuals in a community are to each other, the less crime there will be and the better the quality of life.
Using public transport makes the air quality better and this encourages opening windows instead of using air-conditioners.
Do you like to bike? Ever heard of Critical Mass?
No comments:
Post a Comment