Climate change: New Zealand needs to change its unhealthy dependency on cars
OPINION: New Zealanders love cars, don't they? Maybe they do, or perhaps people simply have places to go, people to see and jobs to do and cars have become another tool of modern life that is familiar, habitual and routine. When compared to driving, other travel options may seem less familiar, less accessible or just inconvenient. Many people have come to rely on cars due to decades of investment in infrastructure optimising their movement. Alternative options for getting around are often severely compromised by excessive numbers of private heavy vehicles. READ MORE: * Our family climate change challenge: Car-free at least once a week * Marlborough's climate change kids gear for tidal wave of protest * Taranaki students continuing to fight for their future as a third climate strike looms * Report calls for off-road trails to connect South Auckland and North Waikato * Electric scooters are good for the environment, right? Here's why it's not so simple * Cycling to work: I've saved money, carbon emissions - and I'm a better teacher for it New Zealand urgently needs to adopt more sustainable, efficient, and healthy transport. There are 860 cars to every 1000 people in Aotearoa - the highest level of car dependency in the OECD. To correct this, we must carefully review one of the biggest barriers: our dependence on cars. Car blindness is the mindset of not seeing that cars themselves are a major, chronic problem. It is when one overlooks the heavy price tag of driving cars and is unable to see the precariousness of car dependency. How we use cars today is insanely inefficient and problematic ; cars waste vast amounts of time, space, resources, and energy. They are a major source of several forms of pollution, contribute heavily to climate breakdown, and are exacerbating a global mass extinction. Cities and towns are meant to strengthen human social connections, enhance economic efficiencies, and promote well-being and community. Communities thrive in cities where the built environment is designed for people. Public spaces should be universally accessible and as safe and inclusive as possible. Visionary, pragmatic cities around the world, such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Oslo, Paris, Madrid, and many more, are realising the immense benefits of new mobility options and supporting infrastructure. We have a responsibility to tread lightly on this planet for ourselves and future generations. Travelling in sustainable ways - literally treading lightly - is a powerful way to do this. The good news is that choosing to travel differently can be easy - if well provisioned for. Healthier travel choices can make car-free living more convenient for many and a whole lot more empowering, enjoyable, and life affirming than driving. Car-free journeys are no longer the preserve of walking, public transport or riding bicycles either. These are still the champions, but there is an explosion of innovation happening around the world. Everything is getting smaller and cheaper, and electrified and shared through a products such as micro-mobility and mobility-as-a-service. In the not too distant future, owning a car will seem excessive - unless you have very particular mobility assistance needs. Healthier, cheaper, and accessible means of moving about is achieved by having public transport and mobility space that is safe, attractive, and accessible. The rewards are not just about how we move either. Having more open spaces, seating, trees and nature, less noise, more freedom for all ages and abilities are achievable goals for city living. The main barrier to enjoying these benefits is: cars. Too. Many. Cars. To overcome car blindness we need to put pressure on local and national authorities responsible for our built environment to provide safe space for walking and cycling, and reliable, comfortable, and frequent public transport. Vote with your shoes. Vote with your pedals. Vote with your bus and train passes. Engage with public initiatives that can provide healthy streets, healthy cities, healthy people and a healthier Earth. Discuss the problems that cars bring with your friends and family. We must acknowledge the many serious negative impacts of cars. We desperately need to treat driving as the extremely costly and privileged activity it is, and regulate it far, far more heavily. Healthy air, a stable environment, and safe and accessible cities should be ours by right. So next time youre heading out and about, listen to that little niggle of conscience in the back of your head. Travel about your city in healthier ways; use every journey you take to demonstrate how highly you value all life and everyones well-being. Alex Dyer is passionate about healthy streets and cities for people. You can follow his journey here . Stuff Nation