Mako Fukumoto ESLP 104 Reading and Writing Research Paper (final draft) April 29, 2013

Limits on Car Ownership in the United States In the United States, transportation accounts for one-third of energy-related emissions and these emissions increased by 29 percent between 1990 and 2007 (Martin & Media). The emissions influence the rhythms of climate and create many significant problems for humans, animals and plants living on the earth. In order to protect the environment of the earth and to reduce smog, there should be limits on individual car ownership, which means that people can have one car per household. Every day billions of vehicles release various gases including carbon dioxide, or CO2 into the atmosphere, and this causes earth to warm up and increase its average temperature (Kukreja). Global warming has tremendous effects on many parts of the world: climate change is a serious problem. Examples include: boreal forest replacing, sea levels rising, changing rainfall patterns, floods and more frequent tropical cyclones (Martin, Media). Agriculture depends on specific climate conditions, so climate change causes significant damage to farm products humans would eat. People suffer from the problem they created, and it is a problem that needs to be solved. In addition, one of the serious problems of global warming is rising temperatures which could
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trigger the extinction of more than a million species. When the sea level rises because of rising temperatures and melting ice, it covers the plants and causes some of them to die. If they die, people would be troubled with food shortages. They cant exist without diverse creatures on Earth. Some people might argue that people cannot live without driving cars, but the government should service public transportation for people to use. In the United States, some large cities provide different methods of transportation, but in most cities, especially in the countryside, the number of public transportation methods is limited, or even nonexistent. This creates the need for each person to drive a car. If the public transportation increases and can provide comfortable options for people, other than driving, they will be less likely to drive a car and car pollution would definitely go down. And if people switch their commute from a private vehicle to public transportation, CO2 emissions can be reduced by 20 pounds per day, more than 4,800 pounds in a year (Conserve energy future). Another option for people would be to ride together when they go to work or school. It reduces negative influence of climate change on people. It is essential that people change their mode of transportation from their own cars to public transportation in order to decrease car emissions. Car pollution is related to climate change, which results from a buildup of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Sousanis says Vehicles in operation in 2010
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equated roughly to a ratio of 1:6.75 vehicles to people among a world population of 6.9 billion, but in the United States, the ratio was 1:1.3 among a population of almost 310 million the highest vehicle-to-person ratio in the world (2011). The rate of American car ownership is too high and it caused climate change. If there arent limits on car ownership, most people always drive their own car and the progress of climate change accelerates. Therefore, people ought to refrain from the use of cars and carbon emissions should be reduced in order to stop this global warming trend. In addition to the fact that car pollution changes the climate, it also creates smog. Fumes from cars with gas engines are major sources of smog. Not only is smog unpleasant, but it can actually be dangerous to people. The rate of people who suffer from asthma is increasing, especially people who lives in high traffic levels place. Smog can cause asthma and allergy symptoms and makes the symptom worse. Furthermore, smog makes it difficult for people to breathe (Gina Shaw). Even children who do not drive are effected by smog. Moreover, smog effects people such as in 1948, a thick blanket of smog killed 20 people and left about 6,000 ill in the steel mill town of Donora, Pennsylvania, London's killer smog of 1952 also killed roughly 4,000 people, and New York City's deadly smog in 1953 killed 200 people (Martin & Media) Thus, the smog causes significant damage and it threatens the health and life of humans. Car pollution not only destroys the earth we live in, but it also influences us directly. People should
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prevent the damage of smog from spreading and mitigate the impacts caused by driving. As mentioned above, car pollution impacts the lives of humans, so the government should provide limits on car ownership and force people to reduce opportunity to drive their own cars. People should solve global warming that is international concern in order to live in the future. Most Americans have their own car and drive too often. The pollution impacts their lives and they suffer the consequences they make. They should not drive a car needlessly, and should walk or ride a bike when they go a short distance. When people want to go a great distance, they should use public transportation such as a bus or train. More awareness should be raised by people before it is too late. If they do not change their habits, in the future the earth will be destroyed or become a place where we cannot live. People should have limits on car ownership and have decreased opportunities to drive in order to protect the earth where they live. They should accomplish their mission to preserve the earth for people who will live on the earth in the future.

References

Conserve energy future. (n.d.). Benefits of Public Transportation. Retrieved from http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/Benefits_of_Public_Transportation.php Kukreja, R. (n.d.). Causes of Global Warming. Retrieved from http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/GlobalWarmingCauses.php Martin, M., & Media, D. (n.d.). How Does Car Pollution Affect the Weather? Retrieved from http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/car-pollution-affect-weather-20319.html Shaw, G. (n.d.). Smog: Not an Allergen, but an Irritant. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/smog-not-an-allergen-but-an-irritant Sousanis, J. (2011, August 15). World Vehicle Population Tops 1 Billion Units. Retrieved from http://wardsauto.com/ar/world_vehicle_population_110815