Are you a zero-car family? You're not alone--it's popular these days
If you really want to reduce emissions or conserve energy, get rid of your听.
It may sound extreme, but an increasing number of Americans are doing just that. The听, according to AOL听.
For the first time in several decades, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials'听听found an increase in the share of American households that don't own cars.听
Starting in 1960, the number of American households without a car began dropping, reaching a low of 8.7 percent in 2007.
However, by 2011--the latest year for which data is available--that number had risen to 9.3 percent.
While the economic fallout from the Great Recession may have had some impact, the study's authors believe a proliferation of alternative types of transportation is a major factor in the decline of car ownership.
People are more likely to bike, walk, or take mass transit, they said, and many people are now working from home thanks to advances in communications technology.
Car sharing is another new option. Zipcar or local city听听owned by some city dwellers.
The study jibes with Federal Highway Administration data released in February, which shows that annual听听peaked in 2004 and have since declined steadily.
Finally, there's the persistent narrative that Millennials听, because of a combination of lack of funds, environmentalism, and a preference for digital technology.
Ditching a car would certainly be a thorough way to reduce your personal emissions profile; a car can't pollute if it doesn't exist. Even an all-electric听听can't beat that logic.
Still, given the suburban infrastructure and society we've built since World War 2--which requires a听, if not two or three--cars have little chance of disappearing, at least in our lifetimes.
What would it take for your household to go without a personal vehicle?
