This blog contains information about Transportation, Transport System, and Its Environmental Impacts. It also contains information about Types of Transport System and Why Transportation is Important. This is the complete description about how Transportation is useful and how it is harmful for Environment. In the end, we will discuss the Health Impacts, Urban Transportation Challenges and Case Studies on Sustainable Transportation Initiatives.
What is the meaning of Transport?
Transport can be defined as the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. This process can be carried out through various means such as vehicles, vessels etc.
In the modern life, we travel from one place to another intentionally for our work and in order to meet friends and family. We travel for transferring goods and products or for any business meeting or trip. There are hundred of reasons to travel in this era. These can be personal reasons i.e. trip with your family or Professional reasons i.e. A business trip or international conferences. Transport is the concept in which all the intentional travelling and movements counts on. When we travel through vehicles, vessels and other mode of conveyance, we transport from one place to another. This is very important in the modern lifestyle and it is also contributing in many of the Environmental Problems of the present era. This blog is all about Transport System and its Environmental Impacts.
What is meant by Transport System?
Transport System is a network of components that allows people to move from one place to another. This is efficient as fast as it arrives to destination. The Transport systems are Buses, Highways, Bridges etc.
As we already know that the concept of transport means to move intentionally from one place to another, while the transport system includes all the components involved in making the Transport of people, goods and animals possible from one location to another. Transport system has a great importance in the present time. It is because everyone is moving from one place to another for different reasons. There are different types of Transport System. People travel from one place to another through different transport systems according to their budget and convenience. Different Transport Systems have different levels of Transport Emissions that contributes in Environmental Issues such as Climate Change and Air Pollution. We will have a detail description of Transport System, Transportation and Its Environmental Impacts in this blog.
What are the Types of Transport System or Modes of Transport?
The Types of Transport System depends upon the medium by which we can transport from one place to another. People prefer one of these systems to travel from one location to another. Following are the Major Types of Transport System:
1. Road Transport:
Road Transport is the system in which people travel from one place to another using Roads to travel. The Road Transport system is cheap and the most time gaining transport system from all the types of transport system. In this we travel by road through cars, buses, bikes and other vehicles that travel on the road. The road transport helps us to travel over short distances and is cheaper than other transports.
2. Rail Transport:
Rail Transport is the system by which we travel by the Railways. Railways are specialized ways that are bound for the Trains to travel. These are some sort of expensive from Road Transport but the plus point is that, it take less time because of specified ways and speed of the train. The train transport is mostly preferred by people that travel from one city to another. It is a useful and convenient transport system.
3. Maritime Transport:
Maritime or Water Transport is the transport system that uses waterways to travel. People use this to cover a long distance through water. This transport system only exists in the Oceans and Seas. Most of the time Transport of Goods and Products takes place through this transport system. With this we can travel from one country to another or from one region of the world to another region.
4. Air Transport:
Air Transport includes all the transport means that help us travel by Air. This Transport system is the fastest of all because the Air Transport vehicles travel with the speed of Thousands of Kilometers per hour. You can reach to another region of the world within hours through Air Transport. It is the Fastest and the most Expensive Transport system that every person and class cannot afford it.
These are the Major Types of Transport System that help us to travel from one place to another. People choose these transport system according to their destinations, distances and their budgets to travel. These are very important in the present time because every person need to travel everyday for different purposes of their daily routine or work. This blog is about Transport System and their Environmental Impacts.
What are the Environmental Impacts of different Transport Systems?
Following is the explanation of Environmental Impacts of different Transport Systems:
Environmental Impacts of Road Transport:
Road transport is a huge reason behind Air Pollution because it uses Fossil Fuel burning for its operation. These emit GHGs and Major Air Pollutants into the air deteriorating Air quality. Other than Air Pollution, it also leads to Climate Change, Health Impacts, Noise Pollution and Habitat destruction that can result during Transport and also during the construction of its infrastructure on Earth.
Environmental Impacts of Rail Transport:
Rail Transport is the most suitable Transport system for the Environment. It has less emissions of GHGs and other air pollutants. While its infrastructure is specified for Railways only and it is also a great source of Noise pollution and vibration disturbing human health and wildlife. It is also Energy efficient as compared to other Transport Systems. It cause Habitat fragmentation for Biodiversity. Overall, it is the most suitable way of transport among all Transport Systems.
Environmental Impacts of Water or Maritime Transport:
Maritime or Water Transport is a big source of emissions including CO2, SOX, NOx etc. The accidents of ships leads to Oil Spills that harm the Marine life at great levels. It completely relies on Fossil Fuels and its energy efficiency is better than Air and Road Transport. Water Transport is only dangerous for Coastal and Marine Habitats. It is a source of Noise Pollution for the Marine life and cause health effects on Aquatic species.
Environmental Impacts of Air Transport:
Air Transport is a significant source of GHGs, CO2, water vapors and NOx on high altitudes that directly contributes in Ozone Depletion and Climate Change. The infrastructure including Runways, Airports, Airforce Base etc. disturbs the Habitats of wildlife and become a barrier for their migration. It is also a huge Resource Consumer and also a source of Noise Pollution directly in the Air. It also deteriorates the Air Quality leading to Air Pollution.
These are the major Environmental Impacts of different Transport Systems. Air Transport is the most expensive Transport System while Rail Transport is most Eco-friendly among all of these.
Why is Transportation Important?
Transportation is very important for today’s Economic and Industrial Activities. We need Transport systems to deliver all the essential facilities to the populations of different parts of the world. For example, if a product is manufactured in a region of the world, the Ships and Trucks helps us to transport them in different regions of the World to facilitate people. Following are some reasons that shows the importance of Transportation in today’s era:
Movement of People by Transportation:
Transportation has made it easier to move from one part of the country or the world to another. This movement have bring people, friends and families close to each other and they can meet their loved once easily. They can also take advantage from the Education and Medical Facilities of other parts of the world with the help of transportation.
Movement of Goods by Transportation:
Another important facility that transportation provide is the movement of goods or Freight Transport. Every country is famous for manufacturing some goods of great quality. These things can be transferred to other countries by means of Transportation. In this people get the chance to use better quality products that manufactures in other parts of the world. This leads to logistics and supply chain emissions.
Economic Activity and Transportation:
Many of the important Economic activities depends on the Transportation. These Economic Activities includes Trading, Job Opportunities, and to take your product to international markets and big cities of the world. Transportation has expanded the business of Trading and delivering of goods with facilitating people with latest technology and innovation.
Transport and Allocation of Resources:
In the ancient times, it was impossible to transport Natural and Human Resources to the other parts of the World. But due to transportation we are able to transport goods and services in different parts of the world. The places where some Natural Resources are found in bulk, they can transport them to the places where resources are scarce.
Distribution of Food and Transportation:
Food is one of the basic needs of Humans and Biodiversity in the world. Some countries are Deserted or Drought facing, while some are extremely rich in context of food production. This can distributed to the deserving areas of the world by Transportation. This was considered as impossible in ancient times.
These are some of the Important points about Transportation. All of these explains the importance of Transportation in our Lives. This blog contains information about Transport System, Transportation and Its Environmental Impacts.
What is the Role of Transportation in the Environment?
As we already know that Transportation is extremely useful in our Modern world, Development and Economic Activities. But in the context of Environment, the role of Transportation is extremely negative. It is very unfortunate that Transportation and Transport Systems are the leading cause of many of the Environmental Problems and Damages to the Nature. Transportation cause a lot of damage to the Environment every year. As with the exponential increase in population, the use and need of Transportation is also increasing with passing time. So, the negative impacts of Transportation in the Environment are also increasing as the years are passing.
We can control the Transportation emissions by devising new policies and regulations regarding the Transport Systems and emissions. Environmental degradation due to Transportation costs a lot after the damage. And it is Impossible to implement damage control without huge Economic Loss. This blog is all about Transport Systems, Transportation and its Environmental Impacts.
What are the Environmental Impacts of Transportation?
Unfortunately, there is not a single Positive impact of Transportation on the Environment. We get to observe significant damage in the Environment due to excessive use of Transportation and Transport Systems. Following are some of the Environmental Impacts of Transportation:
Transportation Air Pollution:
One of the Major Environmental Impacts of Transportation is Air Pollution. Most of the Transportation vehicles are Fuel-driven. They use Petroleum and other forms of Fossil Fuels for their operation. The Green House Gas emissions from Transport adds Air Pollutants into the Atmosphere. The pollutants and toxic gases emitted by vehicles and transportation includes COX, SOX, NOx and many other toxic gases like Ground level Ozone. CO2 emissions by Transport mode is a great threat to our Environment. These gases contributes in most of the Air Pollution that occurs on the Earth. Transportation is the Biggest contributor of Air Pollution and many harmful impacts of Climate Change.
Transport-induced Noise Pollution:
Noise Pollution is the unwanted and unnecessary sounds that adds into the Environment. Transportation vehicles and components creates a lot of sounds and noise during their operation. These vehicles and systems contributes a lot in Noise Pollution by creating unwanted and unpleasant voices and sounds into the Environment. These results in the damage of cells of Biodiversity and cause many health effects in Humans such as Hearing loss, Psychological Disorders, Anxiety and Cardiovascular Diseases in Humans that exposes to that voices and noise.
Habitat Destruction due to Transportation:
Every type of Transportation and Transport System requires a specific infrastructure for its operation. For Example, Road Transport requires Road for the vehicles which travels on the road, and Rial Transport need railway tracks to move from one place to another. This specialized infrastructure for Transportation creates a barrier for the Biodiversity and converts their suitable habitats into Fragmented Habitats. This restricts their breeding and harm the process of Biodiversity Conservation. The construction of new infrastructure is fascinating from the developmental point of view but it has bad effects on Biodiversity.
Transportation and Climate Change:
The fuel based vehicles operation is one of the biggest cause of triggering Climate Change on Earth. As we know that Burning of Fossil Fuel emits harmful Greenhouse Gases that have warming effect in their nature. These gases are the major cause of Global Warming. Most of the Anthropogenic GHGs derives from Industrial Activities and Transportation. If we will keep using the same ways of Transportation and same Transport Systems, we will keep adding million tons of GHGs into the atmosphere that will continue to warm the planet and trigger Climate Change.
Resource Consumption and Transportation:
The Natural Resources are limited on the Earth. We should be extremely careful while using these resources to avoid Resource Scarcity. Transportation is the field and department in which most of the resources are used. The resources that Transportation utilizes includes, Petroleum, Natural Gas, Ethanol, Oil etc. All these resources are valuable in Nature and they are present in limited amounts on the Earth. Transportation utilizes most of these resources every year. So, another drawback of Transportation is that it utilizes most of the valuable and useful resources for its manufacture and operation.
Waste Generation and Transportation:
As we observe that the Transportation vehicles and components are made of tons of Steel and Metal equipment. They are used throughout their life time when they are fit for use. But with time they start to degrade and its systems and suspension starts to damage. One day they become wastes for the world. There are millions of landfills have bulk of Transport wastes. They require a lot of space and most of them are not recycled or reused. This create a huge amount of wastes of metal, plastic, aluminum and steel that persist in the Environment for a long time. This waste is difficult to manage.
Deforestation and Transportation:
Deforestation is the cutting down of the trees for human welfare, it can be for construction purposes, or to get Forest resources or clear land. As we know that the modes of Transport requires infrastructure to move from one place to another. So, sometimes the lands are deforested for the road construction, runway construction or Railway construction purposes. This leads to habitat loss, loss of Biodiversity and tree cover loss. It eventually leads to the deterioration of Air Quality due to loss of trees and it is also a significant cause of Climate Change.
These are some of the Environmental Impacts of Transportation. We should be aware about the Environmental Impact of Transportation while using this system to travel from one place to another. The only way to control these Environmental Impact is to Implement Sustainable Strategies in order to reduce the damage caused by Transportation and save the Environment in this way. These are added into the Environmental externalities of Transportation. This blog is all about Transport System, Transportation and Environmental Impacts.
What are the Health Impacts of Transport Pollution?
Following are the Health Impacts of Transport Emissions:
- Transport Emissions includes Toxic Air Pollutants that leads to Respiratory Disorders and Lung disorders in Humans. We consider them as health impacts of Transport Air Pollution.
- In long-term impacts, the emissions may cause Cancer and Heart-related illnesses.
- These is a increased risk of Heart strokes, High Blood pressure and other such diseases in humans due to Transportation pollution.
- Short-term health impacts of Transport Emissions includes headaches, Irritation in eyes and nose, Nausea, risk of premature births etc.
- Noise pollution from Transportation, leads to Hypertension, Hearing loss and Neurological Disorders in humans.
These are some of the Health Impacts of Transport Emissions on Humans. If you want to know about Sustainable ways to reduce Transportation Pollution, click the mentioned link.
How can we fight with Urban Transportation Challenges?
Urban Transportation Challenges refers to the misuse and Non-sustainable Transportation Activities that takes place in Urban Areas. As we all know that urban areas have high population rates and their transportation is the necessity of Urban Areas. It is difficult to reduce and prevent excessive Transport emissions in Urban Areas. Following are some of the ways to fight with Urban Transportation Challenges:
- Enhancing and promoting Public Transport or Public Transit options will help you to tackle Urban Transportation Pollution.
- Cycling Infrastructure according to Sustainable Transportation, will provide a safe site of using bicycles, and for walking. This will help in reducing Traffic Congestion in Urban Areas.
- Integrating Transport Systems in the context of fare, and real-time information to passengers will turn out very useful for fighting the Urban Transportation Challenges.
- Implementation of Traffic monitoring, smart parking systems, and improving efficiency of existing infrastructure are also crucial for managing Urban Transportation Challenges.
- Promoting Sustainable Transportation Systems such as Hybrid Vehicles, Electric Vehicles, etc. will help as damage control in the condition of Transportation Pollution in Urban Areas.
- Smart Transportation Solutions and Smart Traffic Management should also be considered in the controlling of Transportation Pollution.
- Sustainable Mobility Policies and Regulatory Frameworks can also help in implementing restrictions to avoid excessive Transport Emissions.
- Renewable Energy Transition or Alternative fuels in Transportation are Sustainable Solutions to avoid Transportation pollution.
These are the ways to fight with Urban Transportation Challenges around the world.
What are some Case Studies representing Real-world examples of Sustainable Transportation Initiatives?
Copenhagen, Denmark:
Copenhagen in Denmark, pioneered Bicycle highways that provide safe tracks and protected bike lanes. This highway connects the city center to the surrounding suburbs promoting the use of bicycle on roads.
Tokyo, Japan:
The Public Transport System in Tokyo extremely efficient. Whole city contains networks of trains and buses that works for the transportation of people from one place to another quickly and sustainably.
Bogota, Colombia:
Bogota is famous for walking and cycling days. The use of motor vehicles is inhibited for few important roads and everyone is supposed to walk or use a bicycle to travel in specific days. This proves effective in reducing Transport Emissions.
Paris, France:
Paris has implemented bike and scooter sharing programs in order to promote Sustainable urban mobility. This initiative effectively reduced Transportation Pollution, Traffic Congestion and improved Air Quality in Paris.
These are some of the case studies demonstrating Sustainable Transportation Initiatives. By implementing more Technological Implications in Transport sector, we can achieve visible success in reducing Transport emissions. This blog is all about Transport System, Transportation and Environmental Impacts.
To learn about more Topics, Click the links below:
Comments