Public Transit has many environmental benefits
Although motor vehicles are greening up in terms of fuel efficiency, the negative
environmental and health impacts of cars just won't go away. Here are a
few.
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Air Pollution. St. Louis is now the asthma capital of the United States due to
several factors, including ozone pollution. Particle pollution from vehicle
emissions, tire fragmentation, and road dust contribute to heart and stroke
deaths.
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Cars make it more dangerous to bicycle and walk, leading to unhealthy
lifestyles. Death and injury by motor vehicles for drivers and passengers is now
taken as the cost of daily life. Death by roadkill affects large numbers of
wildlife and even pets.
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80% or more of urban noise pollution is from vehicles. The constant noise of
cars is stressful and destroys quality of life.
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Parking lots everywhere carry a steep environmental price tag. The runoff of
water from streets and parking lots into creeks and rivers laden with
anti-freeze, oil, and other pollutants goes almost unnoticed, but
not without harm. Parking lots increase the distance to destinations
and discourage walking.
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Loss of open space and farms. Far-flung development in areas without transit
increases the need for long car commutes, more roads, more gas stations, more driveways,
more parking lots, and
more of other car essentials. Urban development and related roads and car facilities use up the land that once supported wildllife and
farms.
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Using transit has many non-environmental benefits, including saving money that
would be used to finance and maintain cars and promoting a more vibrant
streetscape.
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Why Metro is green
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Destinations: How to participate
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