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Our quality of life has significantly improved over the past decade. But the improved life also leads to the increased amount of pollution. One of the biggest culprits responsible for air pollution is cars. People drive and ride in cars all the time despite the fact that 30% of the total rides done are totally optional, Some facts below will help you to recognize the seriousness of car pollution.
-Carbon Emission went up by over 30% from 1997 to 2007
-Air pollution are responsible for over 30000 deaths of Canadian people per year
- A quarter of CO emission comes from transportation
- Ozone layer is significantly weakened
To deal with the pollution problem, we can potentially learn something from how London dealt with their haze problem in the mid 20th century. One of the reasons for Canadians to drive cars frequently was that it was too inconvenient to take public transportation. If the government can invest more money into public transportation and make sure the network covers the city area as much as possible, people wont need to drive their own vehicle in order to get to where they wanted. Another to make people drive less is to make driving more expensive. For example, we can raise the monthly rent for parking spots in apartments and workplaces. Levels of government should also set a good example for the citizens. When I say this, I mean that the prime minister should start to ride bike or take the light rail to work just like the UK. Canada can also potentially set up mini bike rental station to popularize the use of bicycle.
Next time when you are going away to somewhere. Consider whether it is necessary to drive cars. If you can, try to avoid short car ride as much as possible. Eliminating one car ride is a small sacrifice for you, but a big contribution toward the environment.
