The High Cost of Free Parking

Videos

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12History, Geography, Engineering

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by Vox

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What it is

This video explains the history of parking policies in the United States and their impact on the environment.
Students will learn that cities need parking solutions that will allow for more housing and green space.

Teaching tips

Positives

Students will learn that mandatory parking minimums harm the environment.
The video shows how sprawling parking lots take up space that could be used for housing.

Additional Prerequisites

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Differentiation

Social studies classes could use this video to discuss parking policies that reduce the number of cars in urban areas.
Students could research parking management strategies that create more urban green spaces, then design parking solutions for a local area.
Other resources on this topic include this interactive map that shows which cities have eliminated some or all of their parking mandates, this text on urban heat islands, and this video on underground bike parking in the Netherlands.

From the scientist review

The video recommends a suitable parking management approach, "on-street parking," to reduce the high cost of parking and also manage space for buildings, environmental sustainability, and other land use issues. This is suitable and recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: History, Geography, Engineering
Format: YouTube Video
Language: English
Location: Earth, North America, North America > United States
Provider: Vox
Authors: Vox
Published: April 27, 2021
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · D2.Civ.12.6-8 + 7 more

Core

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

D2.Civ.12.6-8Assess specific rules and laws (both actual and proposed) as means of addressing public problems.
D2.Geo.5.6-8Analyze the combinations of cultural and environmental characteristics that make places both similar to and different from other places.
D2.Civ.13.9-12Evaluate public policies in terms of intended and unintended outcomes, and related consequences.
D2.Geo.8.9-12Evaluate the impact of economic activities and political decisions on spatial patterns within and among urban, suburban, and rural regions.

Wisconsin Climate Education Hub

Science

MS-ETS1-1.Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
HS-ETS1-3.Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

Social Studies

SS.Geog1.b.mInterpret patterns in a variety of maps, charts, and graphs to display geographic information (contour, cartogram, population, natural resource, historical maps) and explain relationships among them.
SS.Geog2.a.mAnalyze why populations increase or decrease in various regions throughout the world. Analyze the distribution of population patterns at various scales (e.g., local, state, country, region).

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