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
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.