There are three different modes of transport. The first one involves traveling under your own power, so walking, running and cycling are in this category. The other two are motorized forms of transportation. These are machines with either electric motors or internal combustion engines. There are advantages and disadvantages to each and we also need to consider the economic and environmental costs attached to them.
Going anywhere under your own power is the most sustainable and the cheapest form of transport. But it's not always practical and there's a limit to the length of the journey. Bicycles extend the distance people can take themselves, but there is a limit. Professional cyclists taking part in the Tour de France can ride around 100 miles a day but it's not possible for the average commuter to match their fitness levels or afford the equipment they use.
In terms of environmental impact, the next best options are trains and streetcars. These are now powered by electricity, so are more sustainable than the old diesel locomotives.
Train stations are found in most cities and towns across the globe. Cities like Barcelona, Dublin and Lyon have two train stations and some others like Paris, London and Chicago have underground subway systems. Monorails also run on electricity. They are no longer just for tourism in places like Disney World and Mexico City International Airport. Las Vegas has a public transit network and places like South Korea and India are implementing monorails as public transport in the near future.
Trains in the majority of the countries are electric locomotives, although in China steam locomotives can still be found. This makes trains an environmentally sustainable way to travel and the same can be said for streetcars, which are enjoying a resurgence in popularity.
American cities like Memphis, San Francisco, New Orleans and Seattle have upgraded or rebuilt their networks to meet demand and places like Detroit, Washington D. C and Tucson are proposing to do the same in the near future.
Although public transport continues to improve, we are using our cars more than ever before. Since 1960 American annual mileage has tripled from 587 million to 1.6 billion. Although President Obama has set a goal of 1 million plug-in vehicles by 2015, the current sales figures aren't that encouraging. Hybrid vehicles only account for around 4% of the US market, so the majority of miles driven are completed by gasoline or diesel powered cars.
Going anywhere under your own power is the most sustainable and the cheapest form of transport. But it's not always practical and there's a limit to the length of the journey. Bicycles extend the distance people can take themselves, but there is a limit. Professional cyclists taking part in the Tour de France can ride around 100 miles a day but it's not possible for the average commuter to match their fitness levels or afford the equipment they use.
In terms of environmental impact, the next best options are trains and streetcars. These are now powered by electricity, so are more sustainable than the old diesel locomotives.
Train stations are found in most cities and towns across the globe. Cities like Barcelona, Dublin and Lyon have two train stations and some others like Paris, London and Chicago have underground subway systems. Monorails also run on electricity. They are no longer just for tourism in places like Disney World and Mexico City International Airport. Las Vegas has a public transit network and places like South Korea and India are implementing monorails as public transport in the near future.
Trains in the majority of the countries are electric locomotives, although in China steam locomotives can still be found. This makes trains an environmentally sustainable way to travel and the same can be said for streetcars, which are enjoying a resurgence in popularity.
American cities like Memphis, San Francisco, New Orleans and Seattle have upgraded or rebuilt their networks to meet demand and places like Detroit, Washington D. C and Tucson are proposing to do the same in the near future.
Although public transport continues to improve, we are using our cars more than ever before. Since 1960 American annual mileage has tripled from 587 million to 1.6 billion. Although President Obama has set a goal of 1 million plug-in vehicles by 2015, the current sales figures aren't that encouraging. Hybrid vehicles only account for around 4% of the US market, so the majority of miles driven are completed by gasoline or diesel powered cars.
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