How serious are we?

Are Americans serious about saving the environment?

You wouldn’t know it by seeing the vehicles they drive. Gas-guzzling SUVs, large crew-cab pickups and crossovers are replacing sedans as family transportation. Last month an Initiative 1631 ad on TV was immediately followed by an aerial view of acres and acres of gas- and diesel-guzzling recreational vehicles that average 8-13 miles per gallon. Class A motor homes average 7-11.3 mpg.

Houses are larger than in the ‘40s and ‘50s when I grew up. The 983-square-foot bungalows of the ‘50s have been replaced by energy-consuming 2,500- to 3,000-square-foot homes; this, despite the fact that the number of people living in the home has decreased since 1950 from 3.54 to 2.6 and continues to decline. One University of California study found that the average family spends 68 percent of their time in two rooms: the kitchen/nook and family room.

If Americans were truly serious about the environment, they would adjust their lifestyle accordingly. As flawed as I-1631 was, sooner rather than later we will all have to adjust our personal lives, reduce our footprint and make choices that will reduce pollution and promote clean energy.

Bernard Korth

Spokane