High gas prices are not going anywhere soon, thanks to the supply shocks from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Some Americans might be able to switch to bikes or public transportation to avoid the worst of this crisis. But even for those in rural areas who cannot practically or safely make that switch, there are still alternatives.
Report calls for fixing roads and bridges instead of pursuing more harmful highway expansions
A new report examines how the transition to electric school buses, in addition to keeping diesel exhaust out of kids' developing lungs, could help speed up the expansion of clean energy by providing a critical source of reliable battery storage.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Californians parked their cars and stayed home, leading to a significant drop in air pollution and carbon emissions. One year later, we are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels of traffic and driving, and the dangerous impacts for public health and our environment have returned as well.
“In California, driving miles are down, just as they are in almost every state,” said Garo Manjikian, Advocate for the CALPIRG Education Fund. “It’s time for policy makers to wake up and realize the driving boom is over. We need to reconsider expensive highway expansions and focus on alternatives such as public transit and biking—which people increasingly use to get around.”
