Environmental pollution reduction strategies and implementation costs

¶ … promoting fuel efficient cars, establishing green spaces or forestry, random emission testing, and encouraging alternative transportation, walking, and bicycle use. The total cost is $15.5 M.

Fuel efficient cars

Fuel efficient cars not only reduces pollution but I chose it due to the fact that it is also a good option given today's rising gas prices.

Fuel efficient cars come in 2 categories -- electric and water. What this means is that these cars substitute gas -- which pollutes the atmosphere -- with either electricity or water or hydroxyl.

Hybrid cars are healthier for the environment since they combine gas and water (or electricity) producing lower emissions. They also reduce dependence on fossil fuel which is the main source of fuel today.(Future-Method.com)

The trade-offs of fuel efficient cars are first and foremost price. That, however, can be overcome by compelling distributors to lower the price by making it a more common commodity.

Nonetheless, other disadvantages include the following:

Hybrid cars weigh more than standard cars due to weight of batteries

High voltage wires may be exposed in a crash leading to greater danger

They are not practical for long distance use since batteries need to be recharged and there are few stations that service hybrid cars.

Nonetheless, if hybrid cars become more popular, these problems will be overcome with time

3. Random emission testing

Cars that are tested for emission tend to pollute less than the same cars that do not pass the emission test (Supnithadnaporn, 2007). Testing for emission is therefore important since it tells us which cars can be allowed to drive and are less pollutant to the atmosphere and which vehicles need to be corrected in order to reduce environmental pollution. Some cars may be simply emitting unnecessary air pollution due to their being poorly tuned. Emission tests detect that can correct the tuning. This is a simple test that prevents a great deal of exponential air pollution.

The trade-off is that the government provides the price for this and setting up the machines, resources, space, hiring and training the qualified people as well as running the test is expensive. Organizing the entire system is also expensive as well as complicated and time-consuming. Persuading people to take off time to have their car emission-tested is another headache both for the driver and the government.

4. . Encouraging alternative transportation walking and bicycle use.

The logic is clear. Alternative transportation, walking and bicycle use aside from providing benefits of excercise and quietness not only reduces congestion on road but dramatically cuts down on air pollution since gas is not used.

The drawbacks are clear too. Cars and vehicles provide benefits that alternate methods of transportation simply cannot provide. Not only are vehicles faster, but they can also carry more people, can carry objects that need to be carried (as opposed to bicycling and walking) and are simply more pragmatic and immeasurably more helpful in today's rushed world. This is particularly so for those who have to travel the large distances form work to home as well as transport kids to school and so forth and who have to achieve all of this in a limited established time frame. Vehicles are simply more expedient and irreplaceable. Nonetheless, walking and bicycling can be encouraged and incentives set to encourage their greater use.

Other alternative transportation include

Bus service -- riding the bus saves wear and tear on personal vehicles while reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. Environmental benefits to riding the bus include reduced dependence on foreign oil and greater fuel efficiency. For every passenger mile traveled, public transportation is twice as fuel efficient as private automobiles.

Carpooling - Carpooling is a fuel-efficient method of transportation, so it reduces air pollutants. Here, one person drives others, or people share a ride at certain agreed upon trips and times of day. (The benefits of alternative transportation )

Sources

Future-Method. Fuel Efficient Hybrid Cars -- Initiatives to Reduce Pollution. http://www.futuremethod.org/418/fuel-efficient-hybrid-cars-initiatives-to-reduce-pollution

The benefits of alternative transportation http://www.scdhec.gov/administration/library/CR-007047.pdf

Supnithadnaporn, (2007), Do Vehicles Passing Emission Test Pollute Less-Georgia Institute of Technology http://www.spp.gatech.edu/faculty/WOPRpapers/AnupitWOPRFinal.pdf