Monday, October 26, 2009
It is no surprise that transportation causes 29 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gases and is the largest source of CO2 emissions. When Henry Ford created the assembly line, he also created an insatiable American lust for the automobile and all it represents: independence, freedom, convenience and status.
And I suppose it is that lust that got the better of my boyfriend, Austin, and I this week. Despite our efforts to walk and ride the bus more, we drove our cars every single day. How did we become so utterly dependent on our cars? Though we had a local bus system, and we both lived within walking distance of campus, why did we still choose to drive?
Independence and freedom. Similar to most American teens, Austin and I considered receiving our license a rite of passage. Your first car is a symbol of adulthood and independence, a literal move away from your parents. Driving a car allows us to go where we want, when we want without asking for someone else’s help. We have the freedom to come and go as we please, without having to abide by a bus schedule.
Convenience. In a car-oriented society such as ours, it is no surprise that our cities are designed to be car-friendly and focused. Wide lanes leave no room for bike lanes and urban sprawl makes walking an unreasonable choice when you’re in a hurry.
Status. I once made the mistake of suggesting that Austin get a Prius.
“Janie,” he said, “I’ve always driven an SUV and I’ll always drive an SUV. I know that they may be bad for the environment, but I don’t care. It’s one of those things I just won’t give up.”
Driving a car, specifically an SUV, is part of Austin’s personal identity. To him, that identity is simply more important than any CO2 or greenhouse gas emission.
So how do we get ourselves to use more sustainable forms of transportation? How do we overcome the advantages of driving, remember its environmental impacts, and find alternatives that have advantages for both the Earth and us?
And are there simply things we won’t replace, even though they are unsustainable?
— Janie Chen is a junior from Olathe. Her sustainability blog can be read at www.greenmyguy.wordpress.com.
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Comments
Chen: Green my guy
My old, beat-up Honda is by far more environmentally friendly than a new Prius, it's just not trendy. That's the problem with the green movement, it's more concerned with what looks good than what really is good, if you want to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, then start pushing for nuclear energy to replace coal and natural gas it's the only sustainable, practical way to get off fossil fuels. Also, keep driving your piece of crap car you still have from high school, the amount of emissions produced by driving it aren't anywhere close to what the net increase in emissions will be for a new Prius, never mind the pollution from disposing of the lithium battery. But I forget, those solutions aren't sexy.
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