76 Down to Earth

CHAPTER 1 A Short History of Transportation HOW WE TRAVEL SAYS A LOT ABOUT WHO WE ARE. We usually don't think much about the cars, buses, and trains that take us from our homes to the places where we work, study, and enjoy ourselves. And yet, without these forms of transportation, our lives would be very different. Transportation technology is constantly developing, bringing changes to the cities we live in and the way we move around them. The first humans walked and ran everywhere, often over great distances. A few traditional peoples, such as the San in South Africa, still live this way today. The first vehicles were probably small rafts that carried people along rivers and across seas. Some scientists believe rafts were used to sail from Asia to Australia as early as 70,000 years ago.

Scientists think that people began to domesticate horses 4,000 to 6,000 years ago. People in Kazakhstan captured groups of wild horses. They wanted them for meat and milk, but they also used them for riding and carrying things. Other animals, such as the North African camel, were domesticated about 3,500 years ago. Animals such as these allowed people to move farther and carry more. This helped in the development of trade between societies. And then came the wheel. Although the wheel is quite a recent invention, we don't know exactly where or when people first used it. But we know that the huge stone blocks that were used to make Stonehenge in England as early as 3100 BCE needed something like wheels to move them. Maybe they used wooden rollers made from logs as a type of wheel.

The first proper wheel we know of was used in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) about 3500 BCE, although some scientists think wheels may be much older. By 1000 BCE the wheel was common across Europe and the Middle East. Over time, wheel technology improved and wheels became lighter, faster, and more stable. By 500 BCE, metal-covered wheels and vehicles pulled by horses and other animals were common. There were fast chariots to fight in wars, slow carts to carry food and other goods, and comfortable carriages for rich people to get around in. And all thanks to the wheel! Of course, vehicles need roads to run on. Early roads were simple dirt tracks, but many societies, such as the Indians, the Chinese, and the Romans, soon built networks of good, straight roads to connect their cities.

After the Roman Empire, there were great improvements in boat building. Ships and boats sailed faster and farther across seas, up and down rivers, and along canals. In the 18th century, British canals were a key part of the Industrial Revolution. Then, in 1825, George Stephenson ran the first steam-powered train. The new trains could carry goods faster and farther than animal transportation, making travel much easier. In the 19th century, some cities started services to help people travel to work. The first horse-powered bus began in France in 1826, carrying 14 passengers. By the end of the century, buses were used internationally and were powered by gasoline. In 1863, the first underground train system opened in London, and in 1873, San Francisco started its now famous streetcar service. A new age the age of the commuter— had begun.

CHAPTER 2 Green to Go IF THERE WAS ONE VEHICLE THAT CHANGED THE WAY WE LIVED MORE THAN ANY OTHER IN THE 20TH CENTURY, IT WAS THE AUTOMOBILE. The first commercial gasoline-powered automobile was produced in 1885 by Karl Benz. At first, automobiles were expensive luxuries, but new factory methods and the introduction of credit loans soon made them easier to get and cheaper to own. In the USA, 56 percent of families owned a car as early as 1927. Cars were often sold using the ideas of freedom and speed. But as more and more people took to the roads, the disadvantages of car travel became clear. The large number of cars on the roads soon led to pollution and congestion. By the end of the 20th century, driving for many people around the world had become a nightmare of traffic jams, rising fuel costs, and less healthy air to breathe.

Guangzhou, China's third-largest city, is taking the problem of pollution very seriously. The city, which is one of the fastest-growing areas in China, had already banned motorbikes in 2007. In 2012, the city government passed a new law that aims to cut the number of new cars on its streets by half. At the same time, Guangzhou is increasing its bus services to encourage people to use "greener" more environmentally friendly— transportation. In a move to reduce gasoline use, some cities are providing transportation programs that do not use traditional buses. Instead, they have chosen to encourage green transportation. Vehicles such as boats, trains, and bikes make less pollution and, most importantly, they don't fill up city streets or cause traffic jams.