Always Low Carbon Emissions. Always.

Yesterday, in a column in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Chuck Pezeshki advocated local grass-roots action to stop global warming:

Besides organizing for the next elections, we can start now at the grass-roots level. After getting our own houses literally in order (fluorescent light bulbs, insulation, and high-mileage vehicles) we can move up. The Cool Cities program has been something that has been put in front of the Moscow City Council. It sits there, unadopted. To my knowledge, nothing has even been put in front of the Pullman City Council regarding the problem.

Okay, if we are going to play that game, here's my suggestion.

Two studies have shown that Pullman shoppers spend nearly $100 million annually outside of town, primarily in Moscow, Lewiston, Clarkston, and Spokane.

Based on data derived from the Sightline Institute, the average car with a solo driver produces 1.1 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per mile traveled.

Therefore, the average round trip between Pullman and an outside shopping destination produces the following carbon dioxide emissions:

Moscow - 20.9 pounds (think about that the next time you drive to the Co-Op for your organic tofu and seitan)
Lewiston - 70.73 pounds
Clarkston - 73.898 pounds (and union-friendly Costco)
Spokane - 164.46 pounds

That one-stop shopping "behemoth" known as a Wal-Mart Supercenter could put an end to unnecessary driving and make Pullman a "Cool City." In fact, as the new Wal-Mart would be well-served by bus lines and bike and pedestrian paths, shoppers theoretically wouldn't have to drive at all!!! We could reduce our "carbon footprint" by hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of pounds annually!!

Since Professor "Civil Discourse" has previously referred to me as the "avid Wal-Mart groupie," I don't think that my plan would meet with his "intellectually superior" approval. As Paul has pointed out, you can see how easy it is to make a liberal short-circuit.

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