This year Earth Day will be celebrated a couple days past April 20th, the day that marks one year since the Deepwater Horizon explosion that lead to the most devastating oil spill until now. And I hope you did not forget about that day and the months that followed.
I know the people living in Gulf Shores Alabama did not forget. How could they when tarballs still hit their beaches?
I know that the Oystermen in Louisiana did not forget. How could they when their fishing grounds are now dead waters and their livelihood’s all gone? Nor did the birds, the plants – crude poisoning must be now part of their genes…
What I do not know, is how must have felt behind the wheel of a gas –eating car when pictures of the disaster hit the media. I do not know how it feels because I ride the local public transit system most of the time. And public transit is a major factor in reducing the United States’ oil needs and our dependency on foreign oil. A study by NRDC shows that better public transit and community transit has the potential to lead to 1.6 million bbl/d of oil.
It is no secret that, with the exception of a handful of cities, metropolitan US has one of the least functional transit systems out there. And one reason why investments and development lagged behind was the belief that no one will want to use it anymore. This is why I am asking you to ride the bus or T on Earth Day. Tell everybody who is willing to hear us that we still want to ride public transit. We still need public transit. We understand that a car centered transportation system will never be sustainable.
I know I will be riding a bus that day. Because I know that we can have this :
or we can have this:
What do you choose?
Sources:
for news :
Washington Post Business - BP faces protests....
Miami Herald- Mayor: Tarballs still hitting Ala.
for information on potential oil savings from better transit and community planning:
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