Cars,pollution and health.docx

Cars,AirPollutionandHealthCarshavetwooppositepersonalities.Oneisfriendlyandattractivetheotherisdestructiveandcanbelethal.Thedesiretoownacarislinkedtopleasure,sexuality,convenienceandfreedom.Menlustforattractive,prestigiouscarstheywaytheylustforwomenandwomendesiremenwithattractive,prestigiouscars.Carmanufacturershavelongusedattractive,lightlycladwomentoadvertisetheirlatestautodesigns.Menarealsointerestedinpower,performanceandwanttoknowsomethingabouttheengine,althoughmodemenginesaresufficientlycomplextodiscourageeventheprofessionalmechanic.Someofthenewenginecomplexityinvolvesemissioncontrolsystemsthatrequireelectronicmonitoringandadjustmentofengineperformanceunderdifferentoperatingconditions.Severaldevicesareaddedtotheenginetohandleairflowin,fueldeliveryandexhaustout.Computershavebeenaddedtomonitorandcontrolengineperformance.Mostcarenginesdesignedafter1996haveastandardportthatallowsadiagnosticcomputeraccesstoinformationaboutengineperformance.Drivingacaristhemostpollutingactanaveragecitizencommits.EmissionsfrompassengervehiclesareincreasinginCanadaandtheUSdespiteattemptstomakeenginesmorefuelefficientanddespitetheadditionofantipollutiondevices.Themainreasonisthatcarsaregettingbiggerandpick-uptrucks,vansandsportsvehiclesareoftenreplacingsmaller,lighterpassengercars.Theaveragenewvehiclein2003consumedmorefuelthatitscounterpartin1988.IntheUSAin1987carsaveraged25.9milestothegallon.Fuelefficiencydroppedto24.6milesgallonby1998andisdroppingfurtheraslargervehiclesreplacesmallerones.Despitescientificevidence,governmentsinmostaffluentcountrieshaveignoredtheirresponsibilitytoreduceemissionsofgreenhousegases.TheUSAisbiggestemitterofgreenhousegasesworldwide.USemissionshaveincreasedto7billiontonesofCO2in2004,16%higherthanemissionsinthelate90,s.TheUKhasdonebetterreducingtheiremissionstoabout0.6billiontons,14%below1990levels.Exhaustfromallcombustionenginescombinetoproducelocaladverseeffectsonthehealthofcarusersandallinnocentbystanders.Citieshavebecomeislandsoftoxicchemicalsfromtheunrestraineduseofvehiclesburningfossilfuels.Carsarenoisy,ugly,andoftendangerousanddominatetheexperienceofmodemliving.Wearenowusedtothecarnageonroadsandhighways-attemptstoreducedeathanddisabilityfromourmotorizedcontainershavenotsubstantiallyalteredthenegativeimpactonsociety.Theadversehealtheffectsofcarexhaustarepervasiveanddifficulttomeasure.TelevisionAdsforsportsandrecreationvehiclesshowsolitary,impeccablemachinesinwildernesslocations.OneTVadshowsacouplemakingamaddashtoescapethecitycoreintheirexpensive,luxuryupholsteredcloneoftheland-rover.Theadsaresellingafantasyofwildernessandescape.Istheconsumeriscompletelydeluded?Thesevehiclesaremostlyfoundinsuburbandrivewaysandthetrafficjamsofpollutedcities.Theyhavenowheretogotoescapetheenvironmentaldegradationtheyhelptocreate.4x4drivesandlargetiresarerarelyusefulandarenotsuitedtohighwaydriving;youseethesemachines,submergedinsuburbandrivewaysbythefloodstheyhelpedtocreate.Combustionenginescontributetocarbondioxideaccumulationintheatmosphereandareresponsibleforclimatechanges.Asane,soberrevisionofvehicleuseislongoverdue.WhatCanIdo?DriveLessBothlocalandglobalpollutionwouldbedramaticallyimprovedifeachcar-drivingpersonpledgedtousetheircar30%lessstartingimmediately.Citiesshouldreducevehiculartrafficby30%overthenext3to5years.Thisisarealisticcontribution.Eachpersoncanresistthetemptationtobuylarger,heaviercars,vans,trucksandsportsvehicles.Ifyoureallyneedtodriveoff-roadsinwildernesssettings,youneedaruggedclunkerthat,salreadygotscratches,dentsandmudonthetires.Carryashovel,axe,chainsaw,andacome-alongintheback.Ifyoucanaffordit,addaheavydutywinchupfront.Stayoffhighways.StrategiesReducenumberofVehicles-Urbanareasneedtosetvehicularquotasandpermitsarelimitedinnumbertocontrolregionalairpollution.Improveefficiencyofvehicles-reversethetrendtolargervehicles;engineeringsolutionstoemissionsofcombustionengines;newpowersourcessuchasfuelcellsandnewfuelssuchasmethanol,propane,naturalgas-ultimately,hydrogen.Improveefficiencyoftraffic-creatededicatedbuslanesandgiveprioritytocar-poolsandvehicleswith3ormorepassengers.Trafficcanbescheduledtooptimizeroadusage;mercialtrafficatnight;largecompaniescanstaggeredworkinghoursanddecentralizeadministrativeoperations.Commutinglongdistancesincarstoworkneedstobephasedout.Singlepassengercommutingtoworkshouldbestronglydiscouraged.Theuseofcarsmustbere-defined.Carusehastobeconsideredaprivilege,notaright.Thecostofenvironmentalreclamationhastobeaddedtothecostofowningandoperatingacar.Carsusecannolongerbesubsidized.Governmentscanencouragethereductionofvehicularuseby: PromotingVoluntaryabstention IncreasedPublicTransit-diversifyoptionsandprioriesaccesstoexistingroads. Separatecommercialandprivatetraffictoincreaseefficientuseofroads Stopbuildingcar-orientedroadsandhighways Replace30%oftheexistingroadsdesignedforcarswithavarietyoftransportationoptions Incities,buildmorewalkingpaths,bicycleroutesandpathsforsmallelectricvehicles Reducecommuting-linkresidenceandbusinessac