The Status of Walking

Most 15-16 year old Americans have one thing on their mind (after that boy/girl they're chasing, that is): how to get wheels. An old rusty or brand new convertible, either way it's all about movement.

Cars are the ultimate status symbol. Yes, a sleek new Corvette is trendier than, say, an '84 Grand Marquis, yet ultimately, it's control over transportation (and the speed) that matters.

Think about it. In the Midwest/Southwest/South especially, we value cars over buses, buses over bikes, bikes over walking in our sprawling cities. Partially because our cities are so spread out (case and point, Oklahoma City) and partially because of the value individual cars over public transportation, public transportation in the Midwest/Southwest/South is completely shoddy.

So what is the point to all this? The point is, we have assigned certain values to different types of transportation, values that adversely affect our environment and our wallet. As the price of gas goes up and up and the car industy flounders, running and maintaining a car subsequently becomes more expensive. And the number of cars on the road increasingly affects the environment, through depletion of resources (both the limited oil supply and our rainforest through the production of biofuels) and by increasing carbon dioxide output. Culturally, we may value the ability to control our transportation (or the sleek sexiness of a cool ride), but environmentally and economically, our values are misplaced.

Yes, buying a hybrid or other fuel efficient car certainly helps. But would it hurt us to take the bus once a week? Or walk? (Your heart would thank you!) Or bike? Or even car-pool?

Also, as noted above, part of the problem is our public transportation isn't the best. But supply and demand speaks even with environmental issues--if there were a higher demand for public transportation, cities would be forced to add routes, times, etc. Also, it never hurts to call your congressman or even start a petition/protest.

But if that all seems like a little much to you, how about just taking a nice walk to your local coffeeshop instead of driving? Do it for the environment, your heart, and your wallet. And your conscience might rest a little easier, too.