Keep Aside your Ego: Let the Pollution Go

Transportation is an issue that needs to be addressed because it has two deleterious effects on the environment. One is the effect of vehicle carbon dioxide, CO2 emissions on climate change and the second stems from other vehicle emissions that cause air pollution leading to negative health effects (Fergusson and Skinner, 1999). These two problems are exacerbated by the increasing trend for private vehicles. The idea is that increased use of public transport will lessen the demand for private transportation thereby lowering the number of vehicles on the road and thus lessening global vehicle emissions. Driving one’s own car is often considered a benefit of economic success but due to increasingly adverse environmental and health effects related to vehicle emissions, universal car ownership is an issue that can no longer be ignored (Tiwari, 2003).
 The climate change of concern is increasing global temperatures that are attributed to the “greenhouse” effect. The greenhouse effect results from carbon dioxide, the most important of the greenhouse gases, which acts like a blanket around the earth, keeping surface temperatures at warm levels. Increasing the CO2 concentration in the earth’s atmosphere effectively adds another blanket which warms the Earth’s surface even more (Hare, 1997). 
 In addition to CO2 emissions and the resulting climate change, other vehicle emissions contribute to air pollution. Vehicles account for most of the carbon monoxide (CO) and a large share of the hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulates found in the atmosphere in major urban areas. Nitrogen oxide (NO) results when nitrogen in the fuel or in the combustion of air heats to temperatures above 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit in the presence of oxygen. This reaction occurs in most car engines today. Nitric oxide (NO) is the initial product and oxidizes to nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen oxides also combine with water leading to a component of atmospheric acidification, specifically nitric acid (HNO3). In turn, this leads to “acid” rain. The general term “NOx” is used to describe this family of emissions (Cunningham et al, 2006).
In the developing countries too, increasing modernization has led to an increased presence of motor vehicles which means a large percentage of CO2 emissions in these countries comes from
motor vehicles as well (Harrington and McConnell, 2003). Thus, in order to control climate change, the issue of vehicle CO2 emissions needs to be addressed.
Public transportation provides many mobility, safety, and economic benefits to people and businesses. Beyond those key benefits, it also offers significant environmental advantages that contribute to a better quality of life.
 Anyone’s identity is not tied up with the perks of his/her own life, much as the ego would tell otherwise. This journey of going car-less has in fact been a learning in letting go of ego pride and seeking a deeper understanding into my own nature.
 Car Share is a great fit for anyone who needs a car – just not all the time. Cars have long been associated with aggressive masculinity and social status. The rise of car-sharing may kindle a greater sense of shared ownership and sociability instead.
 Leasing a small fleet of cars, minivans or pickups is easier and more advantageous than ever. Businesses that buy or lease 10 or more vehicles qualify as commercial fleet buyers and are given a fleet registration number (obtained through the dealer), entitling them to all available manufacturers’ and dealers’ fleet incentive programs.
 In urban cities where people commute to and from the suburbs, there is often a great distance between friends and there is a need to have a car just to have a chance to see the people you want to connect with. Additionally, people often have super busy lifestyles so that it takes planning to really connect in a meaningful way.And so this issue of connecting with people briefly leaves larger social networks are less fully developed. 
References:
1. Alisa Sow. 2017. 5 benefites of going car less or lessons in shedding my ego. Website referred: https://medium.com/thrive-global/5-benefits-of-going-car-less-579ado50319c
2. Cunningham et al. 2006. Environmental Science: A Global Concern. New York, NY:McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.
3. Farish A. Noor. 2017. Car-sharing may dent hard-driving male ego. Website referred: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/car-sharing-may-dent-hard-driving-male-ego.
 4. Fergusson, M, Skinner, I. 1999. Greening Transportation. Environment, 41 (1), 24. Research Library Core.
 5. Hare, K. 1997. Clearing the Air. Canadian Geographic, 117 (6), 45-6.
 6. Harrington, W, McConnell, V. 2003. A Lighter Tread? Environment, 45 (9), 22. Research Library Core.
 7. Tiwari, G. 2003. Transport and Land-Use Policies in Delhi. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2004; 81: 444-540.

By- Dr. Bhawana Asnani.

Happy to see Reviews, Additions, Suggestions and Comments, further.

About Asnani Bhawana 287 Articles
Assistant Professor, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat

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