As usual, Hans hits the nail on the head....
-Mike
2. Driving to the Limits
Posted by: "spunkledevil" [EMAIL PROTECTED] spunkledevil
Date: Sun Oct 7, 2007 9:22 pm ((PDT))
Sustainers & Sustainresses of Earth
Guest Column submission to Oregon Observer and Fitchburg Star below
hope you like it!
Hans Noeldner
133 West Lincoln Street
Oregon, WI 53575
608-444-6190
Driving to the Limits
---------------------
Most American families could not afford an assortment of vehicles
perfectly sized for each use an ultra-small "Smart Car" apiece for
Mom and Dad to commute; subcompact for chauffeuring 2.1 children-per-
household to soccer; minivan with room for family vacation trips; and
pickup truck for hauling big stuff like drywall a few times per
year. Now combine the impracticality of owning three or four
vehicles with historically low (inflation-adjusted) fuel prices;
paltry cost differences between small high-mileage cars versus
supersized SUVs and pickup trucks; highway and parking conditions
every bit as convenient for the largest vehicles as for the most
petite; and registration fees, taxes, and insurance rates which fail
to reward automotive thrift. Result: Americans are mightily tempted
to get the largest vehicles possible.
The astonishing popularity of full-sized extended- and crew-cap
pickup trucks here in Dane County's suburbs and exurbs perfectly
illustrates the "big is beautiful" motoring philosophy. These
thirsty behemoths really do seem like a bargain on the dealer's lot.
Who knows when we might actually need a truck to haul something? And
think of all the stuff we could handle with a real, man-sized truck.
A bigger camper! Motorboat! Trailer-full of ATVs!
Truthfully, nearly all of the time, most of us are driving
significantly more capacity than is actually required for the purpose
at hand . And many of these purposes are contrived we-the-people
are never so inventive as when magically transmuting newfound
luxuries into "needs". But so what? Aren't we supposed to grow our
economy anyway? And if economic growth is good, surely supersizing
our vehicles is even better! Why not "drive it to the limit"?
Because it's wrong. Wasting fuel to drive all this excess capacity
won't free United States armed forces from indefinite duty as World
Oil Policemen. Won't head off global warming or stop Earth-
suffocating sprawl. Won't lead us to a sustainable way of life.
Driving it to the limit won't stop frightening pedestrians and
bicyclists off public roads and streets. Won't reconnect us with our
neighborhoods. Won't get us off our fat butts and onto our feet for
some healthy exercise. You see, driving as much as we do today IS
the problem!
Then what SHOULD we drive to the limit? Our willingness to conserve
and practice real thrift. Our spirit of cooperation and dedication
to the common good. Our determination to exercise enlightened self-
restraint.
Here are great places to start. Walk and bike rather than driving
whenever you can. Combine trips and carpool instead of driving
alone. If you need a vehicle, buy the smallest, most fuel efficient
model available. Share vehicles among friends and neighbors maybe
even establish a "community car" arrangement. Use taxis and local
delivery services rather than driving yourself. Rent a large vehicle
when necessary.
And transform your lifestyle, neighborhood, and municipality so that
our "needs" for driving greatly diminish. The "greenest" car is one
that is never manufactured or used. The best paths towards a
sustainable world are paths the we walk and bike and traverse on
public transportation instead.
_______________________________________________
Bikies mailing list
[email protected]
http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
