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Climate Change: Cars vs Public Transport

What is climate change?




Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns are referred to as climate change. These changes might be caused by natural processes, such oscillations in the solar cycle. Yet since the 1800s, human activities—primarily the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas—have been the primary cause of climate change.


Almost a quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions connected to energy come from the transportation sector. Automobile emissions are a substantial source of nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter, which are both major contributors to urban air pollution.


What can be done to tackle pollution?



Priority one is that increasing the number of people who use public transportation reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are released into the environment, assisting in the fight against climate change. One of the best methods to cut emissions and protect the environment is to take public transportation more often than one's own automobile. By limiting or lowering the flow of private automobiles, several cities have been able to cut CO2 emissions by as much as 50%.

Reduced transportation demand, promotion of active travel, and zero-emission transportation are all necessary to lower air pollution levels. Electric vehicle technology has advanced dramatically over time, which is increasing consumer and commercial interest in them. Congestion may be reduced, and public transportation can be made more alluring by expanding the variety of services offered while implementing more flexible and time-differentiated charges. Another pattern is that more individuals are using public transportation because of the increase in gas costs.


There are several ways in which air pollution can harm the environment. Reduced development and survival of tree seedlings, decreased yields of agricultural crops and commercial forests, and increased vulnerability of plants to disease, pests, and other environmental pressures are all effects of ground-level ozone (such as harsh weather). High amounts of air pollution can have several negative health effects. Lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory infections are all at increased risk because of it. Air pollution exposure, both short-term and long-term, has been linked to negative health effects. Those who are already unwell are subject to more severe effects.


How can climate change affect our lives?


It's crucial to slow down climate change. When all emissions are eliminated, global temperatures may continue to climb for a few years or decades before beginning to decline as the climate system stabilises. Unchecked climate change would undermine much of the development progress accomplished in recent years. As we can already see, it may also make present dangers like a lack of food and water worse, which might spark violence. Future repercussions of global climate change might include more frequent wildfires, longer droughts in some areas, and storms that last longer and are stronger if temperatures keep increasing. Storms, heat waves, floods, and droughts are just a few of the calamities that are getting worse as a result of rising temperatures. Warmer temperatures produce an atmosphere that can hold onto, release, and gather more water. This alters weather patterns such that wet areas get wetter and dry ones get drier.


Why should we use public transport and not our cars?


People will have an obvious incentive to give up their vehicles and board a bus, tram, or train whenever the cost of mass transportation falls below the fixed expenses of owning and operating one. And the vehicle cannot compete when public transportation is free.


The use of public transportation has a lot of advantages as driving is likely to cost less than using public transportation. There are, however, other effective methods to save money, mostly by preparing ahead so that you won't have to worry about parking. It eases traffic in cities and towns and it is less expensive to use public transportation than to purchase and drive a car.


Bus lanes and other bus priority measures mean that rush-hour traffic delays are no longer an issue, and they also help to relieve congestion in towns and cities. Thanks to bus lanes and other bus priority measures, rush hour traffic bottlenecks are no longer an issue. Your carbon footprint is diminished because it can contribute to a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the environment, lowering our carbon footprint is crucial. We can delay or even stop climate change by minimising our carbon footprint, which can be caused by greenhouse gases.




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