Published:  Sunday, June 12, 2004

To:  Editor, Ottawa Citizen

In less than thirty years society has fundamentally changed its response to smoking in public.  In the seventies people would light up anywhere.  Today, even the hardened smoker wouldn’t think of it.  Obviously, strongly held opinions can change.

We must now challenge another unhealthy practice.  I speak of the thoughtless use of automobiles for personal transport.  The current attitude is that we have the right to hop in our car, turn on the ignition, and go.  With every increasing smog advisories I believe we are choking on the result of these countless individual decisions.

We must start to take responsibility for our transportation choices. Automobile use is as ingrained in our lifestyle today as smoking in public was a generation ago.  Just as we have accepted that smoking kills, we must also acknowledge that we are choking on automobile use, with deteriorating air quality, and congested cities.

I am not advocating an auto free society.  I am a car owner.  However, I believe we must think about the collective consequences of our transportation choices.  There are numerous healthier alternatives, such as walking, cycling, carpooling, or transit.  Such a choice will not work in every instance.  However, if together we could reduce automobile use by just ten percent, it would make a tremendous difference in our quality of life.

A generation ago we began to recognize that smoking was killing us, as we choked on its gases.  We need to do the same with respect to the automobile.  During this week of the commuter challenge think the next time you grab your car keys.  Is there a more responsible way to complete the journey?  Do you need to take a tonne of metal on this trip? 

Leonard Poole