Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

Introduction

Pollution in the air from motor vehicles and excessive public transportation

HF0400 Environmental and Natural Resource Money Availability, trying to find different methods of funding, and ways to get around without polluting the air as much

Who is affected by the issue?

All of the citizens are affected by air pollution, because we are the ones that breathe the air. People that are in more industrialized and crowded cities, such as Minneapolis are affected more, as they are around it more.

All of the citizens in highly populated cities lose the most, like their health because they are the ones breathing this air, and polluting their lungs. Also, by relying on public transportation they are partaking in less exercise. These citizens lose their health and fitness compared to the citizens living in the cities that don’t breath in as much smoke and smog, and walk around their land more.

The public transportation drivers (bus and taxi) and businesses gain money and revenue, as they know people depend on them, and their services, because people take the easy way and are lazy.

What are the consequences of this issue?

The consequences are poor health, air pollution, and short quality of life.

The individuals’ health is affected. Their families are affected by having their loved ones potentially become sick from the pollution, and decreases expected life.  The consequences for society are more overall pollution, less air quality.

What is the economic impact of the issue?

The economic costs are expensive to pay for all the gas used to transport people, maintenance repairs, and miscellaneous costs. It would be more worthwhile to not offer so many options, or reduce the number of buses and taxis available.

The economic benefits stem from all of the revenue public transportation brings in. All of the business owners, and employees of these companies benefit from this.

What is the social impact of the issue?

The social costs of this issue are an opportunity to meet other people while traveling publically, so everyone can benefit from this. Also, a recreational activity, and sight seeing opportunity. The companies providing this service bear the cost since they are the ones paying for repairs, and gas. Also, everyone is affected by the pollution at its costly levels.

Some of the social benefits are getting to be around new people, and in different parts of town. When you take a public bus there are a lot of stops along your route which gives you a social opportunity, and you get to learn from others, and see different parts of town that you may of not known were there. Everyone can benefiting from this new experience while getting to know and learn from others and their experiences.

What are the barriers?

The barriers are that there is a need, and high demand for different ways to get around the city due to the lack of cars people have, and high gas prices, so they use these methods to save money. Taxis are used for people who are under the influence and need a safe ride home. Also, in the cold weather people will not want to walk, or take a bike from place to place, it does become a safety concern.

The barriers to addressing this issue are people are stubborn, and won’t want to make a change, or try something different. People are also lazy and even in nice weather they will refuse to walk, or use a bike and will just expect to be picked up, and taken care of from public transportation.

The people can be overcome by seeing how bad it is to breathe the city, highly polluted air, and all of the damage it does to their body. There are a lot of long term affects that people are unaware of, so stressing those. Also, all of the damages their methods do the environment, like ruining the eco system, and plants.

What are the resources?

The resources needed to address this issue are evidence and statistics of breathing in poor and polluted air stressing the health affects long term from this. The safety concerns from taking public transportation at night, or by yourself when you do not know who is around, or the kind of people on the bus. Also, the effects from the smoke and smog that go into the air from big buses and trains.

The health affects can be found by comparing the breathing capacity and quality of breaths from an individual who lived in the city, and rode the bus for many years compared to someone who lived out in the country, who hasn’t been exposed to as much pollution.

The safety issue can be found by looking and observing the people around bus stops, and on buses late at night.

What is the history of this issue?

The history of this issue in the community is known to not travel alone at anytime, it is just unsafe. Also, breathing in this type of air is comparable to cigarette smoke, and the poor affects it has on your lungs, brain, and respiratory system.

The past efforts made were trying to promote different methods of transportation that would help benefit your health and be a source of exercising, like biking or walking.

The results of this were in the warm weather people would attempt other ways, but once it was cold or poor weather they resulted back to using the bus everyday, or driving themselves.

Allies & Opponents

The people who would support this issue are the citizens concerned with preserving and maintaining the environment. Also, healthy people who want to live and long healthy lifestyle, and do not want to be breathing poor air. Fitness buffs would also like this idea, as walking or biking is healthier then driving places, and a good source of exercise.

The people who would oppose this issue are the companies that own buses, taxis, cabs, or the people who drive everywhere and do not like to exercise or go out into the cold or outside in general.

To involve both the allies and opponents regarding this issue would require a bit of compromise. Both sides are looking to help out people, whether it’s providing transportation, or promoting their own health and well being, so both sides share that. In order for both sides to win they could both focus on promoting walking, or biking in the warm weather times, and then come winter offer more public transportation, so it will cut down on the pollution, and help promote a healthy lifestyle, yet still as a back up offer public transportation.

Your Recommendation

I want policy-makers to vote in favor of spending more money on advertising, and alternative transportation methods that don’t pollute our air and environment like buses, trains, and cabs. I want there to be more of a push for car polling, only if absolutely necessary. I would like to see more promotion towards walking places, making it accessible and a realistic idea, or even renting a bike to use would be beneficial and less air pollution, while still being quick.

Sources:


http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/objectiveslist.aspx?topicId=12


https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=House&f=HF0400&ssn=0&y=2011


http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eco-friendly


http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/Environmental_Problems/air_pollution.html


http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/air/