Having fewer drivers helps the environment

The Gazette did us a big favor on April 6 by juxtaposing a story about increasing insurance costs as a result of stronger weather events (“Storm surge”) with an article about how young people are driving less than their counterparts a generation ago (“Young Americans are less likely to drive”). These stories are connected in important ways.

Stronger weather events (according to many scientists) are a result of climate change, which is a result of increased atmospheric carbon. Cars produce about 20 percent of the carbon we Americans send skyward, with each car producing from 6 to 10 tons of carbon/year. Add to that the average cost of driving - from $8,000 to $10,000 per year - and you can see that young people are saving themselves a lot of hassle and expense while helping to decrease the chances of future events like the 1993 and 2008 floods.

If you connect more dots, you will realize that on many fronts we can improve the quality of our lives while bequeathing a better world to our successors.

The Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Climate Advocates (Iowa-City-Climate-Advocates.org) are joining with 350.org on May 5 to help Iowans connect the dots. Please join us.

Robert Sessions

Iowa City