Community of Cars

In “Community of Cars” by Ryan Brown, the author uses sarcasm to Inform us that we are a lazy, self-destroying community. He relays every negative thing about our environment and health to our Increased dependence on cars. Brown seems to cry out to the world that we need to change our ways before It’s too late. He wants people to be more mindful, and to not Just throw out the environment. Brown begins his argument with a stroll down the authors’ childhood.
He refers to the numerous afternoons spent strolling with his grandmother to the local grocery store. Many people can refer to this as an emotional appeal. Brown than appeals to our values by saying the “friendly conversations we used to have when passing an acquaintance while walking have been replaced with honks of a car horn” (Brown 1). He points out that Americans are in a mind state of driving over walking. He also says that if we drove less, our environment, communities, and personal health would all show positive effects. “That automobiles are environmentally harmful is unarguable” (Brown 1).
Brown uses the argument of automobile emissions polluting the air and then resulting in acid rain. He says with the combination of cheap gas prices and high gas mileage cars, there is no wonder the drivers society has continued to thrive. He points out that just because people drive fuel efficient cars, it does not mean there doing anything positive to the community. Because of their fuel efficient vehicles they drive more because it’s cheaper. Using a fuel-efficient car to drive miles to the superstore instead of walking to the corner store is not helping.

Brown points out the ultimately it is our choice whether our communities are great places to raise our children, or if they are just mere pit stops on the highway. He poses that Americans have disregarded the isolating effect of convenience, and thus we are blindly setting ourselves up to destruction. Such is a consequence that many have not thought of, and Brown makes a convincing appeal. “New Urbanism and other social reform movements promise to bring back the days of centralized, walk able communities, Incorporating features such as wide sidewalks and narrow streets” (Brown 3).
Brown believes that with a better community comes a better strength of life. Brown states that roadways tear up countryside destroy wildlife habitats and routes. Browns Interpretation of the rise In gas prices Is the government telling us to watch our spending. The government has gas prices low enough to keep the consumers happy, but high enough to pay for our environmental struggles. The decline of public health due to lack of exercise Is another argument Brown uses to his advantage.
Brown uses an example from Amanda Speak In saying “Living In the suburbs Is linked to dating more higher-calorie fast food” (Brown 2). Obesity In children has more than doubled In the last three decades. This Is not surprising because 1 of every 3 meals that a child eats is from a fast food restaurant. Brown states that us Americans think Witt our wallets. According to nil, ten only times Americans take a stand on an issue is if it’s convenient and affordable. It seems like the cause and effect of everyday life prompted Brown to write this argument. He claims that as our driving rates go up our health goes down.
He claims we are lazy and then states almost anything we need on a daily basis we can get through a Drive-Thru window. Now we no longer have to exert ALL the energy it takes to walk across the parking lot and to shop around. You can now do almost every daily chore without leaving the comforts of your front seat. Paul Higgins from University of California believes that walking would no doubt fix two of Earths biggest problems; global warming and obesity. Brown believes that the new tight relationship between a man and his “Beauty’ is a reversible trend.
He believes that the return to days gone by is an achievable and desirable goal. All in all, Brown uses a variety of strategies to argue his thesis that too much reliance on automobiles is costing America its health and heritage. The vast amount of consequences of when we drive instead of when we walk has had far- reaching effects that many people may not have considered. Brown assembles a triple threat by appealing to our logic, emotion and values. To Brown, cars are an incredible thing, but not worth losing the environment, our communities, our personal health, and lives.