Save the world: go green

In the midst of the primaries, the attention of citizens is constantly shifted from one critical issue to the next. From the Iraq War to the economy, voters’ attention span are as fickle as a hyperactive five year old. But as usual, the environment is constantly shoved to the side. With carbon emissions reaching record highs, the time to “go green” is long overdue.

The U.S. should be leading the pack in fighting global warming and pollution. If the rest of the world is expected to act and make a significant difference, the U.S. must cut back on its emissions. Together with Australia, the U.S. is responsible for more than a quarter of the world’s carbon emissions.

It is evident that political intervention has failed. The U.S. refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol, which binds countries to an agreement to lower emission levels by a certain percentage each year, moving towards reducing the levels to zero. And despite a tremendous effort to inform the public and influence policy by Al Gore through his film, An Inconvenient Truth, the public is still not acting out against global warming.

Alas, the power lies with the individual. Everyday people can do simple things that can ultimately make a huge difference. From filtering your own tap water instead of buying bottled to recycling, it is not that hard to help the cause.

Another new eco-friendly trend is slugging. Slugging, a phenomenon that is finding its way into many U.S. suburbs, is essentially carpooling with strangers. Drivers who wish to drive in the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, but need more passengers to drive on the less congested lanes can go to a designated slugging spot and pick up passengers.

Slugging, for those who work in the city, is a great alternative to driving and it is free. In addition to saving money on gas, sluggers would be doing the environment a favor by carpooling. Carpooling reduces the amount of carbon emissions that are released into the atmosphere by cars.

Sluggers must abide by rules or guidelines that are specified on local websites. Slugging is most popular in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Pittsburgh.
For those who are hesitant to jump in a car with a stranger, public transportation has always been an easy alternative. Metro buses and trains are regularly running in Northern Virginia and can take one practically anywhere.

My car recently did not pass inspection, deeming it unfit to drive after the month of April. So here I am, reverted to the status of a lowly bus rider, waking up earlier and getting home later. But I know that by taking the bus I am doing something to help deter global warming, which makes my bus rides a tad bit less humiliating, but mind-numbing all the same.

As clichéd as it sounds, little things make a difference. If everyone works together – if not everyone, then at least a significant amount – change is not impossible.

We should all be making sacrifices for our planet. Even if it is as small an act as taking the bus, walking or biking instead of driving, we can make a difference.  The time has come to act and if no action is taken now, there may not be another chance.


    Mohamad.Elbarasse@thea-blast.org