The Detrimental Impact of Cars on the Environment
Cars are one of the most important means of transportation in the world. Over 76% of Americans drive alone to work, which means about 115 million cars are on the road every single day. For many people, cars serve as a reliable way to journey to work, school, and even to places across the country. However, even if cars have a largely positive impact on the people who use them, they have an increasingly negative impact on the environment. Many people do not question what they put into their cars, and thus, what their cars put back out into the environment.
Vehicles emit large amounts of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and other greenhouse gases that pollute the air. These greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere and block radiation from leaving the earth’s atmosphere. As these gases build up in the earth’s atmosphere, and as more radiation is built up, the earth warms up more than usual. For some, the earth becoming warmer may not seem to be a negative effect, but it has deadly consequences. These consequences range from intense floods and droughts to higher death rates, as unprecedented temperatures leave those not used to the temperatures wholly vulnerable. Polluted air not only directly affects the environment but also affects humans as well. Polluted air leads to a rise in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and illness, as well as a rise in deaths in asthmatics. Overall, there is no positive effect of greenhouse gases
So what can be done to decrease the amount of pollution cars emit? The first step is simple: simply stop driving cars as often as usual. Instead of driving to the mall, take a walk or catch the bus. Instead of driving to work every single day, bicycle instead. However, for many in rural areas, not driving is not a viable solution as it is the only way to access needed amenities. Rural areas are extremely spread apart and it could take hours of driving just to get to the nearest grocery store! Luckily, cutting out driving from a daily routine is not completely necessary. Rather than driving alone to school, carpooling with friends would prove to be a fun and an eco-friendlier way to use cars. Most importantly, remaining conscious about the gases our cars emit and how they affect the environment is always a sound way to be eco-friendly. As you can see, there are many ways for us to significantly reduce the amount of car pollution we emit into the atmosphere. Try one of these tips out today and make a difference for our planet.
Sources:
https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/vehicles-air-pollution-human-health
https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=81&t=11
Divine Ebisike (diviebisi@icloud.com) is a junior at St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School. She enjoys spreading environmental awareness and working on projects that help the earth’s ecosystem. She also enjoys reading and drawing.
