Preserving the legacy of Bay Area Action’s environmental work from 1990–2000 and beyond.
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Recent events in the Middle East have reminded us of the risks involved with our dependency on foreign oil. Yet risks of even greater scope than those in the Persian Gulf have failed to produce similar concern from our leaders. Acid rain, global warming, smog, and oil spills are a direct result of our oil-based economy. More than 60 percent of the oil consumed in the US is burned by automobiles. If we are to seriously address these grave environmental problems, we must make energy efficient transportation and the development of renewable energy resources our top priorities.
Unfortunately, governmental policies force most of the environmental damage caused by automobiles to be incurred by society as a whole. For example, acid rain is estimated to cause more than $6 billion in damage to construction materials, fisheries and forests every year — a loss we all suffer, regardless of our contribution to the problem. In European countries, gasoline is taxed between one and two dollars per gallon, so car owners pay an amount closer to the true cost of driving.
Industry inaction is responsible for the environmental problems as well. The average automobile in the United States gets just over 18 miles per gallon. However, there are cars on the market that get more than 50 mpg. According to the Rocky Mountain Institute, if every car in the United States got ten more miles per gallon, we would eliminate the need for oil from the Middle East.
As the environmental crisis nears its threshold, we must encourage elected and corporate officials to make policy decisions that consider the whole picture. But as consumers, we are responsible for changing our wasteful habits. Just as each one of us is part of the problem, we each can be part of the solution. Using alternative transportation at least one day a week is a good way to start: public transportation, carpooling, biking, and walking reduce air pollution and save irreplaceable natural resources.
Bay Area Action is working with KPIX, KCBS, and alternative transportation groups to organize Beat the Back-Up Day on Tuesday, September 18. Events throughout the Bay Area will raise awareness about transportation problems and solutions.
In Palo Alto, BAA is helping organize a parade that will profile alternative means of transportation. Solar cars, bicycles, and other nonpolluting transportation sources will showcase viable alternatives to the single-occupant automobile. The parade will be followed by a rally focusing on ways to continue making transportation improvements.
The success of Beat the Back Up Day depends on citizen involvement. Think of something you can do to encourage greater participation in your community or workplace. Most importantly, make a personal commitment to use alternative transportation whenever possible. If the people lead, the leaders will follow.
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Published in Action, vol 1, no 2 · Sep–Oct 1990
