This article will aim to explore the dangers that cars pose to our environment, analyze the extent to which public transport will help save the environment, and examine the various benefits that the use of public transport brings.
Issues:
Cars may potentially be damaging to the environment for several reasons. Firstly, cars emit damaging pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides into the environment which can be harmful to human health. Secondly, the production of cars is also something to be considered. For example, when cars are produced, raw materials are extracted and processed putting habitats at risk. Additionally, when raw materials are extracted, water is likely to become polluted and dangerous for human consumption. Also, cars consume non-renewable resources such as oil and gas. The knock-on impacts of this are quite extensive. By consuming non-renewable resources, cars are actively contributing to climate change through emissions of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide. These are just a few of the dangerous impacts that cars have on the environment.
On the other hand, if there were fewer cars and instead more modes and availability of public transport, this has the potential to bring significant change to the environment and the climate as a whole. Firstly, fewer cars on the roads would reduce traffic congestion, especially in busy cities such as London. This would help to reduce travel times and alleviate traffic jams. Public transport is arguably a cheaper alternative to driving a car, especially for lower-income individuals who may not be able to afford a car. Another reason why more public transport could bring about positive change is by supporting economic development. This is because more people will have access to an increased number of job opportunities. This may help to stimulate local economies and improve the overall quality of life within communities with increased access to opportunities.
Evidence of change
In recent years, there has been some evidence to indicate that a shift to a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation is helping to mitigate some of these issues. For instance, advancements in technology have enabled the production of more electric and and hybrid cars which do not have the same negative consequences as petrol cars. With this being said, there is still a lot more needed to be done in order to make the automotive industry more environmentally sustainable. This can be done through the use of public transport. It is a more efficient, low-cost way of transportation. Additionally, with advancements in technology bringing about hybrid and electric cars, what’s to say that in a few years' time there are electric buses transporting people about? This is something that has been spoken about before and is definitely something that has the potential to bring about positive change.
When looking at the opposing side of the argument, the introduction of increased public transport such as busses may not be such an ideal option. For instance, there is a risk of crime. Public transport systems are often seen as a target for theft or assault. Therefore, by increasing the amount of public transport, it could be argued that we’d be increasing the likelihood of theft and assault to occur. Secondly, there is quite a high dependence on infrastructure when building public transport systems. This comes with a significant amount of expense with regard to train tracks, buses, and stations. Not only is this bring significant initial cost, but it is also expensive to maintain.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several reasons why cars are posing such a threat to the environment and the climate as a whole. For example, the harmful pollutants being emitted into the environment are contributing negatively to climate change and are very harmful in terms of human health. The increase in public transport has significant potential to mitigate environmental harm as well as alleviate congestion in busy cities. Overall, reducing the number of cars on roads could have many benefits for the environment, human health, and economic development. However, this decision would require significant investment and crime prevention strategies implemented in order to decrease the likelihood of theft and assault that seems to be so prominent in public scenarios.