Very Important. Please take a moment to read the following information:
Changing your travel habits isn't just about "reducing carbon emissions"; it can also make your daily life more comfortable and healthier.
1. Cleaner Air: Fewer Cars = Fewer Emissions = Less PM2.5 / NOx / VOCs
In megacities, vehicle emissions are often a major contributor to urban air pollution. Take Beijing as an example: the latest official PM2.5 source analysis shows that local emissions account for 43% of Beijing's PM2.5, and within these local emissions, "mobile sources (primarily motor vehicles)" contribute 50%. In other words, reducing motor vehicle travel and increasing public transit/rail usage directly contributes to "visible blue skies" and "noticeably fresher air."
2. Better Health: Air Pollution is Not an Abstract Concept, But a Tangible Health Risk
The World Health Organization (WHO), on its dedicated page for China, notes that air pollution is associated with approximately 2 million deaths in China annually (with over 1 million deaths attributable to ambient air pollution). Therefore, one of the most significant "returns" from reducing transportation emissions and improving air quality is better health.
3. Less Congestion and Less "Time Wasted on the Road"
When more people choose public transport, walking, or cycling, traffic congestion on city roads decreases. You will experience more predictable travel times and less stop-and-go driving. Quantitative monitoring of traffic congestion in China (based on massive travel trajectory data) also consistently tracks metrics like "congestion indices/delay times." Congestion essentially represents a massive invisible drain on time and energy.
4. Quieter, More Livable: Noise and Emissions Decrease Together
Reducing private vehicle mileage typically also means: lower road noise, safer intersections, and streets more suitable for walking and cycling. These are all direct, tangible lifestyle benefits of "low-carbon travel"—not distant climate slogans.
Choosing public transportation or other low-carbon travel modes often brings "cleaner air, better health, less congestion, and a more comfortable urban environment" all at once. It's a change you and your city can feel immediately.