The advantages of limiting car usage result in a healthier environment for you and your children, exercise by walking or riding a bike, and saving money on parking and gas.

Limiting car usage would be beneficial for the environment because the gas wouldn't polute the air. Green house gas emissions from tailpipes polute the air that everyone is breathing. If the car usage was limited, then the air would start to become fresh again. Stated in the passage, "Passenger cars are responsible for 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe... and up to 50 percent in some car-intensive areas in the United States." This exerpt from the passage "Car-Free Cities" explains that Europe's percentage is too high and they need to drop it fast or the percentage will grow and the greenhouse gas emissions will increase.

Limiting car usage isn't a big move like most people are making it out to be. Walking to pick up your child from school isn't such a bad thing! It gives you bonding time to spend with them outdoors. You can walk or ride a bike to the park to play. Especially if it is less than 1 mile! Walking is a great way to exercise and its free! FREE!  This component of "smart planning" could work if eveyone helped by reducing car use.

Having a car is expensive! You have to pay for gas, which is expensive, and you have to pay to park your car! If you live in the area where you want to go, walk! But if you're going to the grocery store, obviously you would take your car if you're getting a lot at the store. You have to pay to park in the parking garage and that is $40,000 with a house. The passage "Car-Free Cities," states that "70% of Vauban's families do not own cars, and 57% sold a car to move here." In that town, everything is pretty close to each other so you don't have to drive anywhere. If you needed to go visit a family member in a different city, the the train! It's fun, free, and calming.

As you can see, you don't need to drive a car. Yes, you can drive a car, but why would you? You have buses, and trains, and other ways of transportation. This way, you don't have to pay for gas to go to the park. Not using your car is healthy for the environment and it's great exercise. It's a good way to get outdoors and have a nice walk. So please, just try using your car a little bit less everyday and soon enough, you will rarely use it, the air will be fresh, and you'll be taking some nice strolls in the park with your family.    