Even though the automobile provides convenience and unprecedented mobility, "motor vehicles have many destructive effects on people and the environment"(1). Each year, motor vehicles kill 40,000 to 50,000 people in the U.S., Americans spend $200 million a day for building and rebuilding nation's roads, and motor vehicles have much things to do with land loss, air pollution, global warming and ozone depletion (2). To solve this U.S. car culture problem, I have searched for solutions as follows. First, I will explain basic causes of environmental impacts. Second, I will examine constructive actions practiced by individual, environmental groups or grassroots groups. Finally I will think about some basic solutions that we can practice individually.
[Basic causes of environmental impacts].
I think that U.S. car culture is a result that several potential basic causes of environmental stress have interacted. However, among these stresses I assume ignorance and misinformation, corporate capitalism, and attitude are the most responsible stresses. Motor vehicles" corporations give public misinformation for their short-term profits and they do not take these problems seriously. Also we should not overlook politicians who get a bribes to protect their business. In Western culture, auto vehicles are symbol of power, sex, excitement, or success.
[Activities by Grassroots Groups, Environment Organization, or Persons].
Greenpeace has tried to reduce the devastating effects of the car culture. They provide information and knowledge thorough Internet, and also have rebuilt a car to reduce air pollution caused by the car culture. "Greenpeace has had a Renault Twingo redesigned so that the car consumes only half as much petrol as the original" (3). In this way, it is possible to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of car traffic. They said, "halving the petrol consumption is feasible as a first step for all cars.
