Wouldn’t it be great if the French National Transportation Strike, which this was written about
For the second time in a month, a national strike forced French commuters to walk, bicycle, carpool or simply stay at home as public-transit workers Wednesday protested a government plan to roll back pension benefits.
could also be written about in the United States?
Not the rolling back of pension benefits, but everyone walking, bicycling or carpooling to work. If public-transit workers here had this kind of influence. That would mean that we were using public transportation.
There is no solution for our increasing need for energy. We can’t live further and further from our jobs, grocery stores and everyone else, using more and more energy for transportation. We can’t fill our homes with more and more electrical devices like TVs, computers, games, and cell phones.
So what are we to do? I do not want you to turn off your computer and not read this blog, but I do want you to turn off your TV. Next time you have to move, move closer to your job, move closer to stores. Even if you are still driving, you will be driving less. I have been close enough to walk to a coffee shop, bars, restaurants and convenience stores. Walking is a lot easier than driving. No seat belt. No paying for gas. No waiting at deserted red lights. And no looking for parking.
The main solution is to use less: increase public transportation use, live closer together, eat less meat. But most of us do not want to do any of these things. I like my loud music and not yours. I like being in the country. I like a steak every once in a while.
I can eat fewer steaks. I can plan my rides so I drive less. The next time I move, I can move closer to businesses. And these things that systematically and holistically save energy are major components to any alternative energy strategy.
