Skyrocketing gas prices burn more than imaginable, especially with the Texas heat. First goes the gas evaporating away with the hot sun. Next is the hole in every driver’s pocket. Finally, and most importantly, is the ozone layer, making the hole larger every year. While traveling in Spain, I saw many things we can do here, in the States, which would make a worldly impact.
The fix for this growing concern breaks down into two simple words; public transportation. The problem is figuring out why so many turn down such a beneficial alternative method of getting around. Once this gets solved, we can put our energy into preserving our ozone layer.
“The only time I see a full bus is around Fiesta or when other events are going on downtown,” said Ramiro Ramos, a VIA bus driver. “The bus is safe, and for the most part, we are on schedule.”
Part of the problem is that public transportation is not encouraged or advertised enough. VIA Metropolitan Transit displays discount information, bus routes and transfer information on their official website. Anyone wishing to access this information can go to www.viainfo.net.
According to www.viainfo.net, regular fare is $1. Reduced fare is 50 cents. In order to qualify for reduced fare, a person must be a senior citizen, student or have certain disabilities. Those also qualifying are people who receive Medicare. Veterans who hold a disability rating for aid and attendance (housebound or permanent) and total disability rating at the 100 percent level can also receive a reduced rate. Also children ages five to 11 are eligible also. In order to receive the reduced rate, a card indicating this must be shown when boarding the bus. This card is available at VIA information centers, but it is not available at the Randolph and Ingram centers.
According to the US Census Bureau, 1.3 million people resided in San Antonio as of last year. Station foreman Don Riley estimates 3,000 to 4,000 people ride the bus each day. When doing the math, the bus breaks down to be the cheaper method of transportation. Although it’s cheaper, there aren’t a lot of riders.
What this city needs is something new, something just as advanced as all the citizens of this city. We need a subway system. What is taking the city so long to generate this idea? It will reduce many pollutants people take into their bodies everyday. I hope that in the future people can stand anywhere in the city, take a deep breath, take in real fresh air and never have to wear what looks like surgical masks over their noses and mouths.
While in Spain for three weeks, the subway routes were easy to learn, and the metro was fast. It was a cheap and effective way of getting around. It cost one Euro per ride, or could break down to .60 Euros per ride if you bought a 10 ride ticket. Security was always on guard and honestly, I felt safe. I felt safer in the metro than I do driving in my own car. I am a victim of a hit and run accident. I had my car totaled and was left in pain over a week. Everyone driving is responsible for his or her own actions, however it is hard to predict what another driver might do. This didn’t cross my mind once in the metro, but it does in cars. I didn’t have one fearful thought as I boarded the metro, the only thing I had on my mind was all the fun I was going to have as soon as I reached my destination. It was like a dark cloud was removed from above my head.
In Spain, the air is different. My nasal passages opened and I could breathe. The air was fresh and crisp. It felt like I had never really smelled anything before. The air wasn’t clouded with fumes coming from vehicles. The sky was even a different shade of blue. The color of the sky looked pure, like it never encountered smog before. It saddened me inside because in the back of my mind I knew that my loved ones, or anyone back in the United States wouldn’t have the opportunity to see something like this every day unless we made immediate changes.
The main contributor of Spain’s clear skies and fresh air was the subway system. The subway is a way of life. Many relied on it and took it everywhere, like we do our cars. Each time I took the train, I wished more and more we had something like it back in San Antonio. “If the city would open up a subway system, more people would work because there would be more affordable transportation. They wouldn’t be limited to just the bus,” Ramos said. An increase in the employment rate would be a huge plus, as would cleaner air.
According to the Texas Committee on Environmental Quality, people who suffer from lung diseases and colds have even more trouble breathing when the air is polluted. The effects are worse for those who work, exercise or spend a considerable amount of time outdoors. When exercising, the air intake for some increases as much as 10 times compared to the level when resting. With air pollution, children are at increased risk for developing respiratory problems because they breathe more rapidly and inhale more pollutants per pound. The elderly also have increased health risks.
“When I was in elementary school, I had to use a breathing machine. It was hard to breathe and I was always sick,” said Sara Dehoyos, a high school student. “I take a lot of medicine and it only bothers me once in a while.”
According to the Alamo Area Council of Government, there is an Alamo Clean Air Partnership whose mission is set at improving quality of life and economic growth through federal air standards. Next year the federal government will again determine if our region violates the ozone standard based on air quality data during the summers of 2005, 2006 and 2007.
“Our air quality hasn’t increased or decreased,” said Heather Wilden, AACOG commute pollutants assistant. “We are doing better this year with all the rain, it keeps the air clean.” In order to keep within federal standards, our region must remain below 82 parts per billion for this year’s ozone value. “August and September are going to be critical months,” said Wilden.
The pollutants in the air contribute to the hole in the ozone layer. The carbon monoxide coming from cars, trucks and utility vehicles go up the ozone layer and only help the hole become larger. Everyone’s contribution of pollutants only makes it worse for generations to come.
In an effort to increase awareness, MTV often puts on public service announcements showing small ways viewers can make a difference. Whether a viewer acts on it or not is uncertain but the opportunity is there. They even have large concerts and events urging viewers to make the world a better place.
Come to think of it, public transportation is there. Why not try it? Although we may not have a much needed subway system, we do have city buses. It is a great starting point to better the environment and save serious cash. One difference (or bus ride!) is not too small to go unnoticed. Maybe one day our future generations would be able to smell the fresh clean air and see real blue skies, like the one I saw and smelled in Spain. It made such a strong impact on me. I experienced it once and I’ll work as hard as I can to see again. Only this time, I want to see it here in San Antonio.
