Local solutions

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Nowhere have the pearls of wisdom offered by Mr. Rogers and all the elementary school guidance counselors who told you that there were “different strokes for different folks” been more closely followed than in the spectrum of unique responses to the global energy crisis.\nThe University of Iowa, for example, has been using oat hulls, conveniently provided by a Quaker plant in Cedar Rapids, to replace coal in its power plant, while in Sweden, confiscated smuggled alcohol, once poured down the drain, is being used to power “green” cars, trucks and trains.\nIn an attempt to wean ourselves off of oil, we often look to other successful programs in cities and countries across the world in the hopes of finding our own magic bullet to curb our oil addiction. While considering these foreign gold standards for inspiration in how best to channel our own efforts is of some value, suffice it to say that our own situation is a bit unique. What works in other areas of the world may not work for us. In fact, given the size of the U.S., what works in one region of the country may not work in another. Imagine, for instance, that we raised the price of alcohol so as to stimulate a smuggling trade, and then confiscated “the goods” to power the Stadium Express bus. Can you say “mutiny?”\nEach locality needs to examine its own unique situation in order to capitalize on its own characteristics. In my hometown of Memphis, Tenn., urban sprawl is king, just as much as Elvis Presley ever was. Everyone commutes along crowded interstates to their jobs in the suburbs. And while I’m a big fan of caramel macchiatos, it’s somewhat disturbing for me to see seven Starbucks within a block of each other. While mixed-use initiatives, which design cities in such a way that residential and commercial areas are close to each other, may be effective in newer areas, in Memphis, any attempt to redesign the city would not decrease traffic problems and gas consumption for years. And with the impending global climate crisis, along with our uncertain oil future, we can’t afford to wait that long. Since cars are an integral part of life in Memphis, we should focus on encouraging sales of hybrids and implementing ride-sharing programs instead.\nAt IU, while we may not have an oatmeal company across the street from campus, we do have a number of characteristics we can capitalize on. We are still growing, and instead of adding more parking garages, we should designate specific lanes for buses, in order to make commuting by public transportation faster and more attractive. Instead of preserving every single building over a certain age, regardless of historical significance, we should be building practical businesses and stores close to campus. On top of that, we should consider just how many CVS stores one city really needs.\nThis is serious business, and instead of allowing politicians on the federal level to dictate what is appropriate and effective for communities they know little about, we need to take matters into our own hands.