I’ve got a modest proposal concerning our school children. And unlike like Jonathan Swift’s original “Modest Proposal,” mine involves no harm to any of them. In fact the kids may even benefit from what I’m proposing.
Now this isn’t some recent flash of intuition (not even a TIA). This modest proposal emerged over time as I had to negotiate Old Shell Road around Spring Hill College during the morning traffic peak. Of the 45 minutes it took me to get from the Eastern Shore to the WHIL-FM studio, a full third was spent in stop and go traffic working my way from the base of the hill to the top. And the cause of this clog was, and remains, kids being driven to school.
I ran this gauntlet so often, that I eventually was able to identify the typical traffic-stopping vehicle and its occupants: A three-ton behemoth that could seat a soccer team. Barely visible behind the wheel sits an intense woman (on her cell phone), painfully maneuvering through traffic to deliver a sole passenger to school. This cosseted student-passenger was as cocooned as a “bubble-baby,” seemingly indifferent to the resources used to achieve his or her protected state. This must be some sort of ritualistic “Conspicuous Consumption” behavior: Ride, never walk. Isolate, never interact. Super-size, never economize
Back home in ESho, I checked local schools and noted the same situation around virtually all of them. The exceptions were those schools attended by teenaged licensed drivers – a whole ‘nother subject. Clogged streets and on-campus roadways abound. There is the same low passenger density and willingness of the driver-moms to spend long periods of idling to be available at the moment of release to spirit their charge to the next event. Some moms routinely arrived up to an hour before school ends to ensure no delays. Lots of waste – personal, economic and environmental.
But this started my wondering why we have this one-child/one-SUV situation. I mean, there are school buses, and if they aren’t available, at least carpools could be formed. And for those lucky enough to live near their schools, there is the chance to go car-less altogether and walk or bike – in the great outdoors with friends and no organized agenda. Seems like these alternatives should appeal to environmentally aware, independent young people: Breaking out of the automotive bubble is good for our planet and it can even be fun.
Never having had children, I thought it prudent to do some field research before proposing anything. So I talked to driver-moms and some of their passengers. Just a few words are necessary to sum up the responses: Walking: Too far, too slow, too dangerous. Riding a bike: Ditto. Using a school bus: Kids like us don’t ride school buses. Carpooling: Too hard to organize. Switching to a reasonable-sized vehicle: Little cars get squashed; size equals safety.
So that’s it. Our social norms and beliefs promote behaviors that are in conflict with some harsh realities. First, reducing fossil fuel consumption has got to be both a national and an individual concern – for geopolitical and economic reasons. Second, regardless of your views on global warming, reducing our carbon footprint is a good thing – especially if it can be done at essentially no cost. Third, big/ powerful almost always means consumption of more natural resources (with the associated environmental damage) than does small/adequate. Fourth, and finally, with the rise in obesity among children (and the related increasing frequency of “adult-onset” diabetes in this same population) opportunities for exercise should be sought, not systematically replaced by being driven everywhere.
And now you’ve come to my modest proposal: Parents, find every way NOT to drive your kids to school. If close enough, let them walk. It may take more time than by car, but the benefit of exercise trumps speed – and travel by foot is about as emissions-free as you can get. Security worries? Consider doing what some neighbors in Atlanta have done and create a “Walking School Bus” – especially for the youngest children.
Organize groups of kids to walk to and from school – under the supervision of parent volunteers. It’s hardly a major innovation, but the name is catchy and it’s good for the kids and the Earth too. Same for bikes – which are good for slightly older students and for longer distances. Bike-riding adults (parents, or carefully vetted volunteers) don’t have to make the whole trip, they can ride a segment then hand off the “Bike-Bus” to the next adult team.
Both of these are for getting around neighborhoods, where school bus coverage usually isn’t offered. But for longer distances, I’m going to recommend car pools instead of the yellow school bus. The typical school bus lacks modern safety equipment, uses old inefficient engine and drive-train technologies and would be labeled a “gross polluter” – if we had emissions checks. Carpooling is almost as efficient in people-miles per vehicle and can be formally organized by the schools in lieu of buses – maybe even offering special pick-up and drop-off lanes for high occupancy vehicles as an incentive.
Finally, if you still gotta drive, use the most fuel-efficient, lowest-polluting, right-sized vehicle you can. Well-designed small cars meet the same safety standards as giant SUVs and trade maneuverability for mass. They can even bring back fun to driving.
So parents, please look at the big picture and realize that making small changes in your kids’ school commute can provide benefits for everybody. Not a big thing I’m suggesting – just a modest proposal.
Contact Pete Gleszer at jubilee@lagniappemobile.com.
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