Dimensions
177 x 247 x 11mm
In the more developed world, most people take mobility for granted. Rapid movement of people and goods is vital to the success of modem economics, and many of us cannot imagine life without cars, believing that they offer more freedom, privacy and comfort than any other form of transport. But, as this book shows, these apparent advantages come at an ever higher cost.
As the number of motor vehicles on the world's roads rises, so do the pollutants they emit. These pollutants contribute to global warming, causing damaging climate change, and they affect human health. There is also the problem of increasing congestion. In the end, if the volume of traffic continues to grow, we will find ourselves completely gridlocked.
In this timely book, Rob Bowden discusses the benefits and disadvantages of various forms of road, rail, air and sea transportation. Finally, he argues that we need to start making different transportation choices, for the sake of our communities, our health, and the future of our planet.
The environmental strand of the '21st Century Debates' series looks at the impact human development is having on the planet and how this could affect our future. At the dawn of a new millennium, we are consuming more energy and producing more waste than ever before. What are the effects of our consumption on the natural world and how long can it last? This series examines the difficult decisions faced by governments and organisations concerned with these issues and asks what we as individuals can do to help.
