Just 50 years ago, to own a car was quite a luxury, but today, cars have found their way into many
households. Statistics show in China alone, there are over 140 million cars running on road every
day. While cars have brought about conveniences to their users, they have imposed great pressure on
the environment.
Modern city life has made the car an indispensable means of transport. Though most cities today
have fairly advanced transportation systems like the bus and metro, they tend to be extremely
crowded, especially in rush hours. This means you might come to your office late or miss some
important appointments. If you drive your own car, these problems may well be avoided. At the same
time, when you plan to take your family for a trip out of town, you may also enjoy the flexibility
of when to start off and when to return, rather than spending time waiting for the bus to arrive.
However, the increased use of cars has caused serious consequences for our environment. Many
experts, for instance, attributes the worsening air quality in big cities to the cars’ exhaust
gas emission and the dust that rises after them. This accusation is perhaps well-grounded if you
make a little comparison between the air quality 50 years ago and that now. In addition to the
waste gas and dust, cars also make unbearable noises, which is a headache to all city dwellers.
Just imagine a time you are shocked awake from your cozy dream by the sharp braking screech of a
car passing by your house!
In my view, it is unrealistic for the government to put a ban on the car ownership or use since
the cars have been so important in our daily life, yet we cannot overlook the negative effects
they have on the environment. To get out of this dilemma, to my mind, there are two options, the
first being to develop car technology and produce cars that burn less fuel and the second,
encourage the car owners to use public transportation whenever possible.