Introduction
What is the issue/problem?
Finding and allowing access to alternative modes of transportation to reduce traffic air-pollution emission. A current legislation proposed to address this concern is H.R. 4722 Active Community Transportation Act of 2010.
Who is affected by the issue?
Who is affected the most? - Citizens who live or work in urban settings are exposed to higher rates of traffic-air pollution due to these areas having higher populations and higher usage of automotive transportation. This means larger amounts of toxins are emitted and released into the air of a certain perameter.
Who loses, what do they lose? - Citizens in urban settings lose breathing in clean air and have an increased risk of mortality and morbidity rates.
Who gains, and what do they gain? - City businesses and political parties gain money profit by providing goods and services related to the citizen's needs.
What are the consequences of the issue?
For the individuals mostly affected? - Citizens who work or live within urban settings have an increased risk of morbidity and mortality rates occuring.
For their families? - Families' financial stability decreases as poor health results. Children who grow up in these settings are also very likely to develop health complications early in life and may have a difficult time working productively as they age.
For society? - Citizens who do have poor health often have to miss work due to illness and may have a decrease in work productivity. An increase in the number of doctor visits may result, which will cost the individual and their company health insurance funds. When an employee's productivity decreases the productivity of the company decreases as well.
What is the economic impact of the issue?
What are the economic costs of the issue, and who bears these costs? - An economy is stable when the city is stable. If company's in the city are not able to sustain their income and make a gross profit then the company begins to struggle, ie. companies go out of business. Citizens bear the most weight of the costs since if a company does go out of business the citizen is now unemployed and is forced to seek other options, whether it be finding another job or moving to another city.
What are the economic benefits of the issue, and who benefits? - The city would grow through the increasing returns and profit that would go to companies in the city. Citizens would have lower mortality and morbidity rates enabling them to work longer and more efficiently.
What is the social impact of the issue?
What are the social costs of the issue, and who bears these costs? - Families may not be able to afford participating in social events due to a family member having poor health conditions. If the citizen becomes physically unable to work the city may have to help support the family through financial compensation.
What are the social benefits of the issue, and who benefits? - Companies may benefit from this issue since citizens rely on purchasing goods, such as gasoline, in order to travel to and from their destinations.
What are the barriers?
What are the barriers to addressing this issue? - Deciding how to fund and who will fund the intial investments necessary to incorporate the issue in the community. Citizens who may not want the potential increase in their taxes may not be supportive. There will also be companies within the city who will be strongly opposed to the issue and refuse to support the issue.
How can they be overcome? - The city and community may fundraise and receive donations. Approaching and educating citizens and companies opposed to supporting the issue. Inform them of the pros and cons of the situation and how their families and companies would benefit after the issue is addressed.
What are the resources?
What resources will we need to address this issue? - Providing educational opportunities for the citizens, companies, and political offices to partake in so they may be fully aware and fully informed of the issue. Provide funding and implementation for educational programs.
Where and how can they be tapped? - Environmental and health educators may educate citizens, companies, and political offices about health risks related to traffic air-pollution. Funding necessary for the projects may be acquired through donations from supportive agencies or fundraising through supporting companies and events. Getting agencies such as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) involved. Lobbying and educating resources may come from trained volunteers who support the issue.
What is the history of this issue?
What is the history of the issue in the community? - Citizens within the community have decided to choose alternative modes of transportation, such as public transit or biking. A majority of citizens continue to use automotive transportation as their main mode of transport.
What past efforts were made to address it? - More efforts such as creating bike paths and sidewalks have been implemented.
What were the results? - Citizens did begin to utilize the sidewalks and bike paths; however, paths often did not connect up at some point with the citizen's destination or was not the most convenient option. So citizens continue to use automotive transportation.
Allies & Opponents
Who would support this issue? - Environmental Protective Agency, hospitals, environmentalists, health educators, citizens who have suffered poor health as a result of traffic air-pollution.
Who would oppose this issue? - Gas stations, hospitals, auto-repair shops, car dealerships due to less business which could result in layoff of employees and/or the company going out of business.
How can you involve allies and opponents in advocacy efforts? - Reminding companies that they need healthy workers in order to effectively and continually grow in size and finances. Could mention that traffic air-pollution, if not changed, will greatly affect the health of generations to come. Suggest gas stations, auto-repair shops, and car dealerships offer supplies to provide maintenance services and tools for alternative transportation items, such as bicycles.
Your Recommendation
Vote 'Yes' for H.R. 4722 Active Community Transportation Act of 2010.
It's important to point out the adverse effects of pollution on people's health. Citizens of urban parts of town are constantly surrounded by pollution, having cars in such close proximity. More money is spent on medical costs trying to reverse such affects, and this is a serious issue that can be reduced or even possibly stopped with better forms of transportation
ReplyDeleteMy bill is very similar. I choose the Green Routes to Work Act which also focuses on reducing the amount of pollution caused by commuters. They promote mass transit such as buses or subways instead of driving individually. Very similar to your bills concept.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Elly. I think that if people realized the effects of all the pollution, they would realize that if they had a healthier environment, they would not have to pay as much in medical bills. If people were educated more about this issue, maybe more people would vote yes to bills like this one.
ReplyDeleteI think if people felt like they had alternatives that were easy to use they would. If we can provide things like this more people will be inclined to help the environment and not continue to destroy it!
ReplyDeleteI like how you stated that people lose good quality air to breath! I think that is very important to know because with all these toxins in our air then people will become more ill and there may be more diseases. The education part should be a big resource to this fight. Without the support of educators to go out and teach people about this issue then other techniques to stop air pollution will be harder such as people who lose their jobs won't understand why these industries have to close.
ReplyDeleteWe never really think about what is keeping the pollution going, and it is all these businesses that are contributing to it like car dealers and such. One person tries to advocate healthy transportation and someone else contradicts it in order to keep their salary going. Educational programs are a great start, though, it's the foundation of lifestyle change.
ReplyDelete