In the UK, transport constitutes the majority of air and noise pollution. It is also the major source of climate change, and surface transport generates a quarter of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the UK.
This climate change has affected many things around and is continuing to do so. Gradually, the air quality is improving in the UK, but there are still many areas that do not meet the national standards of air quality and are in the red zone.
The increasing impact of motor vehicles on the environment
Europe is limiting the value of some pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and other particles.
The local pollution environmental noise is mostly a byproduct of these motor vehicles alongside busy roads. Along with road transport, aviation also contributes to the pollution level in and around the place.
Along with the style and status, sense of freedom, and movement of people, it has also greatly impacted nature and the environment.
To achieve this sense of freedom, many people borrow loans to buy expensive cars. They borrow on taking 15 minute loans from direct lenders and fulfill their dreams.
Ways it has impacted the environment
- Production and Destruction
Before bringing the cars on the roads, they consume a lot of energy. Before making the car ready to roll on the road, it requires many materials such as glass, steel, rubber, paints, plastics, and many. Hence, it leaves a giant footprint in its production phase.
Similarly, when the car life ends, it doesn’t mark the end to the environmental impact it makes. End products such as toxic battery acids, plastics and other products stay in the environment for a much longer time, causing damage to it in different ways.
With increasing awareness, the junkyard pile-ups are reducing as compared to the previous times. Mankind has created many recycling ways to recycle car waste, such as steel frames and plastics.
It is difficult to quantify the costs incurred on the production and recycling of cars. It is beyond the control of consumers.
It is observed that 80-90% of environmental impact and damage has been caused by various harmful gases released due to fuel emissions and consumption.
These emissions are ultimately causing global warming that is, in turn, causing other harmful effects on the planet.
2. Fuel Costs
Extracting petroleum from the earth is an energy-intensive process that raises red environmental flags and causes damage to the local ecosystems.
Shipping fuels to different locations also causes environmental hazards, and in case of an oil spill, it affects the water bodies to a great extent.
With the increasing demand for fuels and oil, the hazards are also increasing drastically, and so is the extraction. Considering these factors, it is essential to focus on fuel efficiency and increase awareness for the same.
With increasing awareness, people may likely understand its growing importance and use the fuel efficiently.
Hence, electric cars have been introduced and are increasing at a rapid rate. Electric cars eliminate all these factors and do not cause much damage to the environment.
3. Air Quality
Cars and other vehicles are one of the major contributors to the increasing level of air pollution. It constitutes one-third of the air pollution.
Due to this, we breathe polluted air that contains tailpipes. These vehicles cause increasing levels of smog, toxins and carbon monoxide leading to breathing problems.
With this, there are increasing health concerns that are a concern for everybody.
Air pollutants adversely affect the environment and nature, including plants, animals, and all other things. They interfere with the climate, as mentioned above, causing climate change.
Also, they interfere with the physiology of the plant species and the entire eco-systems. The environment department has found out that many of the compounds are likely to be air pollutants causing climate change.
Hence, the level of pollution has to be controlled to control the ongoing climate change.
The origin point of air pollutants is natural or man-made sources or both. Volcanic eruptions or wind erosion are the natural resources of the origin of air pollutants.
Other reasons can be forest fires that can be caused by natural reasons or can be man-made too. Atmospheric reactions convert pollutants into different chemical species that produce both harmless compounds and secondary air pollutants.
4. Infrastructure
Infrastructure is another factor that is affected by the cars and road building process. Road constriction cannot be avoided as there is an increasing need for roads to increase production and demand for cars.
With the increasing population, the demand is increasing rapidly. Road construction has a severe impact on wildlife and emissions.
Conclusion
Cars and motor vehicles cause issues to the environment and wildlife. There is an alternative to more efficient cars, i.e. electric cars.
Electric cars cause less damage to the environment as compared to fuel cars. They help in reducing carbon footprints and pollution.
