Personal Accountability and the Gulf
On June 17, nearly two months after his company’s discovery of the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Tony Hayward, CEO of British Petroleum, explained his rationale for his lack of personal responsibility . Speaking before members of the U.S. Congress, he said, “I had no prior knowledge of the drilling of this well, none whatsoever,” and “…I simply wasn’t involved in the decision-making.”
Earlier in June, a related but lower key inquiry took place when a correspondent for National Public Radio approached customers at a neighborhood gas station to ask, "Do you feel any connection or responsibility as you gas up your car for this horrible thing that you're watching on the news?" One customer replied, “Uh, no…You know, we have to survive…The truck is my livelihood…” Another customer at the gas pump answered, "It's discouraging. I don't feel that there's anything that I can do about it."
There’s a depressing theme that runs through all of these responses: we are not holding ourselves personally accountable.
Untreated Addiction
The United States ranks #1 for oil consumption, more than doubling the consumption of #2, China, a country with a population 3 times that of the United States.
In a recent speech, President Obama described our collective behavior as a history of untreated addiction. “For decades, we have talked and talked about the need to end America's century-long addiction to fossil fuels. And for decades, we have failed to act with the sense of urgency that this challenge requires…We cannot consign our children to this future. The tragedy unfolding on our coast is the most painful and powerful reminder yet that the time to embrace a clean energy future is now…”
Currently over 70% of oil consumption supports the transportation sector and about 2/3 of that is used as gasoline. If we are serious about being “environmental,” especially in the wake of the oil spill disaster, reducing gas use seems like an obvious place to start.
Getting Started on the Road to Recovery
- If you own and operate a car, the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offer www.fueleconomy.gov to provide tips to drive more efficiently, keep your car in shape, plan trips, and choose a more efficient vehicle.
- Carpooling and ride sharing online communities are growing as well with listings available on Craigslist and ERide Share among others.
- In the Boston area, car sharing is available through Zipcar and RelayRides with other providers expected to join the market shortly. Multiple studies of car sharing indicate an overall reduction in car ownership and green house gas emissions associated with driving and gasoline usage.
- A growing number of people are ditching their cars entirely. A recent New York Times article featured a mostly car-free community in Vauban, Germany. Nearly two years ago the Boston Globe reported about local families who are embracing a car-free lifestyle and making it work.
Taking Responsibility
As the environmental, community and health impacts of the oil spill in the Gulf continue to come to light, I hope we take a good look in the mirror and recognize that we are all personally responsible. I also hope we realize that as individuals, there are actions we can take to reduce our collective reliance on oil and make a disaster like this one a thing of the past.
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