Forget Washington: Act Locally

June 28, 2008 – Vol.13 No.14

FORGET WASHINGTON: ACT LOCALLY.

Don’t like the price of gas? Want to do something about global warming? Anyone can reduce spending on fuel by driving less or more conservatively. Efforts to cut energy consumption and thus greenhouse gases can be at home too. Shut off lights. Lower the heat. Use air conditioning sparingly. These fuel and carbon-cutting measures take discipline, not money.

But, do you think society and economies as a whole should make drastic cuts in energy consumption and greenhouse gases? Think national governments should take the lead in these efforts? For now, at least in the US, forget about leadership from Washington. The nation’s capital is mired in special interests and politics. A new president - from either party - will help, but there’s still Congress to deal with. Further, the gears of bureaucracy in the Federal government grind slowly. Any new energy initiative will take months to debate, years to implement. Waiting for Washington takes too long. The nation, the world, is way behind in efforts to reduce consumption of cheap fossil energy and emissions of greenhouse gases.

However, government can act quickly to cut the amount of fuel consumed and do its bit to slow global warming. Not the federal government, of course, but your local government. Closer to the people, far from lobbyists, local governments - including towns or counties - can act swiftly and decisively to meet people’s and local business’ concerns. Citizen groups, petitions, public meetings can effect more action by local governments than mandates out of Washington that trickle down to the local level.

Certainly community efforts take work, and to be successful strong commitments, but still local governments can do what individuals can’t do and Washington refuses to do. Local government may not act until it’s asked to do so. It’s up to citizens to do the asking.

For instance, local governments can:

--- Cut speed limits on roads under their control and they can enforce those limits. Driving slower doesn’t necessarily save gas for motorists but with slower traffic can attract other modes of transportation to those roads which do cut fuel consumption: Riding a bike on roads shared with slow traffic is more appealing than bike riding next to high speed cars;

--- Add traffic-calming devices to slow traffic. If speed limit signs and law enforcement don’t slow traffic a hump in the road will;

--- Add bicycle lanes to encourage pedaling. A bicycle lane might offer little security to the bike rider, but it does remind car drivers that there might by a bike using the lane up ahead;

--- Add, improve and repair sidewalks to encourage walking. How many communities have been built without sidewalks? Far too many;

--- Add new bus routes or increase service levels. Bus ridership is apparently already up because of high gas prices. Still there are certainly many, many areas that have no bus service at all. A municipal government can build a bus system where there isn’t one, and expand existing services;

--- Change zoning laws to make sure that basic commercial services are allowed near high concentrations of residential development. The sprawling exurbs were built assuming cheap gas would be around forever. People who live far from community centers need to drive great distances just to purchase the necessities of life. Zoning and planning often need change to be sure that communities are built, not just clusters of housing.

--- Upgrade building codes for greater energy efficiency. It is local governments that write and enforce building codes, not the Federal government. Towns and counties need to require much greater efficiencies from buldings than they do today to meet energy and greenhouse gas challenges. All new homes and commercial buildings need to be green buildings, remodeled buildings need to be brought up to snuff;

--- Upgrade building codes for the inclusion of self-generated electricity - small wind and solar for instance. It’s safe to say that most building codes nationwide have little to say about locally generated wind and solar energy.

It’s true one community’s efforts can’t change global problems. However, actions by the federal government often begin from the ground up, from the local level. What works in a community can work in a state and what works in a state can work nationally.

So look around your town. What changes can be made to cut energy consumption, encourage alternative energies and transportation while cutting greenhouse gases? Ask your local government what it would take to see those changes implemented. We’ve gone well beyond the point on energy and emissions where we can afford to wait for Washington. It’s time to act.