You both sum it up well. I think authorities must be held more responsible for changing individual behaviour.

I use as an example the out-of-town store for weekly shopping. Regrettably, for those on a budget, there is no alternative than to use a car.

Town planners, governments, investment into credible public transport systems – all these must be considered. And perhaps equally importantly, remember that if a car is not zero emission, then it’s damaging the environment. Obvious I know, yet often this is conveniently forgotten.

There’s also a good reference website on international congestion charging here: (http://web.archive.org/web/20060619191308/http://www.cfit.gov.uk/congestioncharging/factsheets/world/)

This problem needs to be attacked on so many different fronts. As individuals, we can choose to use cars less by taking more public transport, running multiple errands in on route, and buying smaller, more fuel efficient cars.

As you have noted, individuals can only do so much. Public officials need to revise the law so that developers can build pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, instead of encouraging sprawls that require you to drive 15 minutes to get to the other side of the street because of a barrier. After reading “Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream”, I learned that US cities are flawed by their design, that so many Americans are not given a choice of public transport or even walking. I’ve never been to the UK, but I hope officials there have better sensibility to promote healthy development.

New York City’s mayor Michael Bloomberg visited Paris recently to look at the bike rental program you mentioned. He’s a breath of fresh air in the political world of rhetorics, someone with a vision to propose bold changes. His proposal of congestion pricing has yet to work, although he modeled it after London’s program which has proven to work. We need to elect more leaders like him in this world so that they can fulfill their vision.