Spring Break
Editorial: A greener generation
Issue date: 4/7/09 Section: Editorial/Opinion
04/07/09 - According to the Environmental Protection Agency, transportation sources accounted for 29 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emission nearly three years ago. It also accounts for nearly half of the increase of emissions since 1990.
It's a safe bet to think that many University of Rhode Island students making frequent trips back and forth from the grocery store don't bother to keep this thought in the back of their minds.
But one student group is striving to change that, and put car pollution at the forefront of issues. Students Action for Sustainability is holding a carpool initiative, hoping to draw hundreds of students to hop into cars together and make Kingston a cleaner, more efficient place.
Viewers see commercials for "green" cars, and maybe flick off a light or two to do their part for the environment. And that's great. But why stop there?
No one ever thinks that carpooling will truly make a difference. But if URI banded together, schedules in hand, it would make the campus a greener, and safer place to be. How awful are the car jams getting off campus from 2 to 4 p.m.? Pretty bad. Now cut the number of cars in half. Now into thirds. It paints a much prettier picture.
If there aren't as many cars around you, why not use the RIPTA bus? There are still shuttles that go back and forth from Narragansett to URI, with not nearly enough passengers on them. Students should realize that getting places conveniently, safely and environmentally friendly is not as difficult as it might seem.
If a driver has to go to the grocery store, why not grab a friend who needs a couple things, too? On the way, stop at the bank, grab some food and then go home. The EPA Web site says that several short trips from a cold start on your vehicle could use up to twice as much fuel as would a longer, multipurpose trip.
With all the economic turmoil, it helps to save on gas, too. Split the bill with a friend. Doesn't it sound nicer to pay $15 per week rather than $30?
And if you really have to drive by yourself, be smart about it. Aggressive driving wastes gas, and the EPA says this can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent driving around a place like Kingston. So next time you head to Providence, take it easy.
Green driving doesn't have to be difficult. It's time that URI takes a stance, and help out Mother Earth.
It's a safe bet to think that many University of Rhode Island students making frequent trips back and forth from the grocery store don't bother to keep this thought in the back of their minds.
But one student group is striving to change that, and put car pollution at the forefront of issues. Students Action for Sustainability is holding a carpool initiative, hoping to draw hundreds of students to hop into cars together and make Kingston a cleaner, more efficient place.
Viewers see commercials for "green" cars, and maybe flick off a light or two to do their part for the environment. And that's great. But why stop there?
No one ever thinks that carpooling will truly make a difference. But if URI banded together, schedules in hand, it would make the campus a greener, and safer place to be. How awful are the car jams getting off campus from 2 to 4 p.m.? Pretty bad. Now cut the number of cars in half. Now into thirds. It paints a much prettier picture.
If there aren't as many cars around you, why not use the RIPTA bus? There are still shuttles that go back and forth from Narragansett to URI, with not nearly enough passengers on them. Students should realize that getting places conveniently, safely and environmentally friendly is not as difficult as it might seem.
If a driver has to go to the grocery store, why not grab a friend who needs a couple things, too? On the way, stop at the bank, grab some food and then go home. The EPA Web site says that several short trips from a cold start on your vehicle could use up to twice as much fuel as would a longer, multipurpose trip.
With all the economic turmoil, it helps to save on gas, too. Split the bill with a friend. Doesn't it sound nicer to pay $15 per week rather than $30?
And if you really have to drive by yourself, be smart about it. Aggressive driving wastes gas, and the EPA says this can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent driving around a place like Kingston. So next time you head to Providence, take it easy.
Green driving doesn't have to be difficult. It's time that URI takes a stance, and help out Mother Earth.
Be the first to comment on this story