Here's a letter I wrote to the LA Times today in response to an article entitled "Evidence suggests commuters are abandoning transit habit".
It was a sad commentary to see that with the decline in gas prices, comes a return to car-commuting for many residents. It surprises me a little that in a city recognized for being on the vanguard of the "green" movement, a spike in fuel prices would be the only motivating factor for commuters to give mass transit a try. Does the thick, gray smog obscuring the mountains to the north provide no impetus? I think we can all rest assured that oil prices will go back up, and I will not complain. I will breathe easier knowing that fewer cars are on the road, and hopefully, in the future, the children of today's commuters will as well.
I mean, come on people! Where are your principles? One of the reasons for the drop in price at the pump was a decrease in demand! You made that possible by hopping on a commuter train or a bus. And admit it, even though the trip was longer and maybe you had to stand for a portion of it, didn't that crazy homeless man talking back to his am/fm radio make for a great story when you got to work? And didn't you enjoy the time you got to spend reading the paper? Maybe you even snuck in a nap as I like to do.
And lastly, yes, removing your carbon-emitting vehicle from the freeway does improve our air quality in Los Angeles. But, to make any kind of lasting impact, behavioral commitments must be made. Everyone wants to save a buck, no doubt, but isn't it even more grand to save the environment in the process?
It was a sad commentary to see that with the decline in gas prices, comes a return to car-commuting for many residents. It surprises me a little that in a city recognized for being on the vanguard of the "green" movement, a spike in fuel prices would be the only motivating factor for commuters to give mass transit a try. Does the thick, gray smog obscuring the mountains to the north provide no impetus? I think we can all rest assured that oil prices will go back up, and I will not complain. I will breathe easier knowing that fewer cars are on the road, and hopefully, in the future, the children of today's commuters will as well.
I mean, come on people! Where are your principles? One of the reasons for the drop in price at the pump was a decrease in demand! You made that possible by hopping on a commuter train or a bus. And admit it, even though the trip was longer and maybe you had to stand for a portion of it, didn't that crazy homeless man talking back to his am/fm radio make for a great story when you got to work? And didn't you enjoy the time you got to spend reading the paper? Maybe you even snuck in a nap as I like to do.
And lastly, yes, removing your carbon-emitting vehicle from the freeway does improve our air quality in Los Angeles. But, to make any kind of lasting impact, behavioral commitments must be made. Everyone wants to save a buck, no doubt, but isn't it even more grand to save the environment in the process?
Here's to choosing the most noble option, not just the least expensive.
