According to the May 3rd New York TImes, the best estimate for the financial cost of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is between 2 billion and 8 billion dollars (but who really knows, the only thing that seems to be a given is BILLIONS.)
What I can’t stop thinking right now is that if a fraction of those billions had been spent on good infrastructure for local bicycle transportation nation-wide, it’s possible we wouldn’t need that oil, the current environmental disaster could have been avoided altogether, our collective health care burden and costs would be lower, and my kids and I would be riding along Orcas road to school tomorrow.
Last year my family spent $1,819 on fuel for our cars, some of which will go to help try to clean up the Gulf of Mexico. I sure wish that that money was going into bike lanes instead. (go check – you probably spent more on gas than you ever dreamed too.)
I’m thinking we’re looking pretty foolish about where we choose to spend our money.
Susan Stoltz
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That’s sobering to add up all the fuel costs for a year. I find I’m biking more now that I live near safer roads and have access to paths. Safe places to ride make a difference.