In Cars PT 2: “Traffic congestion should be the least of our worries”

[“Entering Linfen (China) is like entering another dimension. At dusk, when pollution levels are highest, it’s difficult to see more than twenty feet in front of you. As I take a left turn into my hotel driveway, two people wearing surgical masks appear on bicycles as if out of nowhere; they emerge from the smog. It’s surreal.” Pg. 63, You Are Here by T. M. Kostigen]

Oh, the frustration of it all.

According to a recent survey report from Stats Canada, “the average commute for Canadians in 2010 was 26 minutes, but longer on average for those who live in big cities.” (London Free Press, Aug. 25, 2011)

I can hear the grinding of teeth already. Can you?

And according to a survey by Workopolis, average Canadian workers “spend $269 a month on costs related to working out of the house.” (London Free Press, same date)

Sure, we love our cars, are addicted to their comfort and convenience, but congestion and costs are so frustrating, believe me. After all, the Stats Can report stated that traffic congestion is the biggest frustration for all commuters.

Some will ask, “When will it end? How can I cut time off my commute?”

Traffic congestion and the dent in our wallets, however, should be the least of our worries. Though we love our cars, and the struggling economy loves our cars (“Buy more of them, please!” say car manufacturers), one day - likely sooner than later -there will be a much bigger price to pay than a mere $269 per month.

T.M. Kostigen mentions the following related matters in You Are Here [Exposing the vital link between what we do and what that does to the planet]:

“A figure that sticks in my brain is the number of items the typical US household has: ten thousand. In the US we shop until we drop, but it takes a lot of energy to manufacture all that stuff. Moreover, it takes a lot of fuel to transport it - and us - to stores. Energy for transportation and manufacturing causes the most pollution.” pg. 58

Undoubtedly, rising fuel costs will only make commuting in the future more expensive. And if more cars are manufactured and purchased per capita in Canada and the US, congestion will only increase as well. If we build more roads, we’ll continue to build more cars to fill them, only extending the already very frustrating cycle of rising costs and congestion. Oh, the inhumanity of it all!


And then, more importantly, there’s the increase in pollution, carbon emissions, rising average global temperatures and climate instability. Talk about your inhumanity.

About one of the world’s giant centers of manufacturing and pollution, Kostigen says,

“The reason Linfen (China) and the province in which it is located are so polluted is coal plants. There are forests of coal plants here. A new one gets built every four days. Coal is cheap to burn and easy to derive power from. And these days, China needs a lot of power...

“Coal plants supply electricity to the nearby cities, towns, and villages, but more so to the industrial plants that manufacture products - products, of course, that are shipped all around the world.


“Manufacturing is the real culprit in creating air pollution. With exports on pace to break one trillion dollars, China is leading the pack in terms of economic growth in the world market. At the same time, China has surpassed the United States when it comes to carbon emissions and is now the world’s leading polluter on a total tonnage basis.” pg. 62

Readers may ask, “Why mention China in a post about commuting and traffic congestion?”

My answer to follow.

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Please click here to read In Cars PT 1: “Long commutes lead to more than congestion”

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