It goes without saying that cars have been nothing short of amazing for society. On a basic level, it has made travelling convenient, and efficient. The world has been made smaller by cars. In some countries, cars are a basic necessity while in others, they’re a luxury. Cars are also sometimes viewed as toys for the grown-ups or a hobby. But as with all things in the world, nothing good comes without a price. Traditional fuel cars have caused several problems in society. I will be discussing the environmental and social problems they have caused.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Global warming
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), automobiles (which include cars and taxis) are the biggest net contributor to global warming. Global warming is defined by the increasing average global temperature. In fact, the Natural Resources Defense Council reported that the rate at which the average global temperature has risen over the last 50 years, is the fastest ever. So how do our cars contribute to global warming? Cars release greenhouse gases, and these include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). When the gases are released into the atmosphere, they trap the heat that is trying to leave our atmosphere and radiate that heat back to Earth. Over time, the Earth begins to increase in temperature. The effects of global warming are very detrimental, not just to humans but to all the other living things that are amongst us. The evidence says it all…
- High levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
- Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that directly causes global warming
- This gas also has detrimental effects on human health in excessive amounts
- Increasing global temperatures
- 2016 was the hottest year on record
- It is predicted that global temperatures will continue to rise
- Decreased snow cover and glacial sheets
- This is the result of increased global temperatures
- Water bodies across the world are becoming hotter
- Eventually, the ice melts as it cannot withstand the heat
- Below are 2 images depicting glaciers in Western Antarctica in 1975 (above) and 2015 (below)
- Sea level rise
- The rise in global temperatures has caused water to expand
- The Maldives and Venice are predicted to go underwater if sea levels continue to rise
Air pollution
The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2012) has declared that air pollution has become the world’s “single biggest environmental hazard”. What role do cars play in all of this? I’m sure you have seen the infamous fog in China and the occasional heavy vehicle emitting dirty smoke from the exhaust. Embed from Getty Images
The fog is a result of air pollution and the smoke from the exhaust is contributing to air pollution. The exhaust fumes that leave the car contain particles and gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons as well as particulate matter (PM). Below is an infographic of how the different air pollutants can affect our health.
Detriment to our soil and water
Picking up from the previous two points, some of the gases released by cars can also be detrimental to our soil and water. This is the result of a domino effect. Specifically, the nitrous oxides that are released can react with water molecules in the atmosphere to form acid rain. When acid rain falls on our Earth, it will upset water bodies. The water will become acidic, and unliveable for most aquatic species. As for the soil, the acid rain will strip it of its nutrients and release aluminium, which prevents the trees from absorbing water in the soil. Therefore, the greenery that once used to be there will eventually die.
SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Productivity
I’m sure all of us have experienced being in a traffic jam at least once in our lives. And I bet it wasn’t the most pleasant experience either. Unfortunately, with more cars, come more traffic jams. In some cities, like Jakarta and Bangkok, traffic jams are the norm. Whereas in most other countries, traffic jams are commonplace during peak hours and if there was an accident. Traffic jams are unproductive for the economy and society. People are unable to carry out their responsibilities at work because they are stuck in the car. Some traffic jams can last up to 2 hours, and all the people stuck in it could have contributed to the economy in that 2 hours. All in all, money will be lost and the economy will suffer if traffic jams become too frequent.
Traffic accidents
As long as cars exist, there will always be traffic accidents. We can do as much education and training as possible, but accidents are inevitable. Traffic accidents not only lead to traffic jams, but they are costly too. There will be damages to the cars, public property as well as on human lives. Furthermore, if the accident is serious enough that people lose their lives, this could be traumatic for the people involved.
These points that I have elaborated on are just a few of many. There is an equation that can explain how and why the environmental problems exist.
P + A + T = I
P refers to population growth, A refers to material affluence and T refers to technology. These 3 variables lead to the human impact on the environment impact, I. Technology has the ability to either increase or reduce the impact on the environment. Here, in my blog, I believe that alt-cars are the technological change that we ought to make use of, to reduce or control the environmental impact that traditional fuel cars have caused.
What happens if we do not do anything? If we don’t alter our behaviours and try to reduce the damage done?
Well then Singapore may experience a classic case of the Tragedy of the Commons. If we continue to ignore the pressing issue of air pollution and other environmental problems, we may lose our clean air and our atmosphere. By driving our traditional fuel cars around, we are all contributing to the problem. Unfortunately, we do not yet feel the burden of losing our clean air or the atmosphere. Instead, everyone is now taking our Earth for granted, and freely utilising our cars at high levels. Soon enough, we may experience what other countries are experiencing. Such as Britain & France having intolerable air pollution. That is unless, we make a change.
Cars have their pros and most definitely have their cons. It is now a matter of finding ways to reduce the cons and the costs of cars. Read the rest of my blog to find out how we can do so!