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Texas asks people to avoid using their cars (www.newsweek.com)

submitted 5 months ago by Rapidcreek@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

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[-] CaptainSpaceman@lemmy.world 69 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Dow chemical is located in Lake Jackson, TX and probably out-pollutes all the passenger cars in TX

Not to mention the ship channel, oil refineries, coal burning, petrochemical plants, and so many other high pollution industries. But sure, blame the citizens.

Also, if you want citizens to use their cars less, invest more in public transit (TX has none)

[-] Beryl@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Won't you please think of the shareholders?

[-] apex32@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago

TX has none

Huh?

I visited Dallas for the total solar eclipse. I got everywhere I needed using their DART train system.

[-] originalfrozenbanana@lemm.ee 15 points 5 months ago

The vast majority of people in the DFW area do not live on a dart line, and drive to commute

[-] PM_Your_Nudes_Please@lemmy.world 14 points 5 months ago

DART rail is fine if you live near a station. The vast majority of people do not. The rail lines are alright, but the bus system is laughably bad, so getting to and from a station is often an extra hour or two just to go a few miles.

And that’s if they even serve your area. My daily commute isn’t possible via public transit, because there are no busses or trains that go anywhere near where I live. Like if I look up my commute on Google Maps, the “Bus/Train” option is just entirely greyed out.

[-] anticolonialist@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago

DART is a joke unless you live nearby and their network is small compared to the size of the city

[-] CaptainSpaceman@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

Havent been to Dallas in a while, so ill take your word on that one.

[-] KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 months ago

Don’t. It’s a train, it’s literally impossible for it to service an entire city. Unless you live within walking distance, without some way to get to the train it essentially doesn’t exist. Same situation if you live on a line, but the place you’re going isn’t within walking distance.

“There is a train” will never be enough. You also need bus routes to handle “last mile delivery” so to speak, and even then the closest stop may not be within walking distance.

[-] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Houston has a couple tram lines and a handful of bus lines. And a lot of traffic. And an Amtrak station nestled in a hidden spot at the intersection of 2 major interstates.

But yes, I also wonder where are the "suggestions" from Texas officials for oil and chemical plants to try polluting less for a bit?

[-] CaptainSpaceman@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

Houstons tram is central to downtown area, and everyone lives 10+ mi outside the loop.

Metro has been a longtime joke outside of rodeo season.

I didnt know Amtrak still ran anywhere lol

[-] kescusay@lemmy.world 53 points 5 months ago

Wonder when the Texas government will start suggesting people migrate north for the summer because Texas is uninhabitable for humans.

But don't worry, folks, climate change isn't real.

[-] idiomaddict@feddit.de 4 points 5 months ago

It would be a marked improvement if Texas started suddenly caring about uninhabitability. The rich will simply get better generators and let the heat waves and downed power grid cull the masses.

[-] skulblaka@startrek.website 2 points 5 months ago

Can't stay rich without people to buy your shit. Genuinely don't understand how they don't realize that. If the middle and lower class dies, so does their income stream. And even besides that, if all that's left are rich folks because everyone else either cooked to death or left the area, being "rich" loses meaning because you're now all on an even economic playing field. In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is a killer metaphor - as in, anyone left with a bigger cash stash than you becomes the de facto upper class and you do not.

[-] idiomaddict@feddit.de 2 points 5 months ago

If supporters of capitalism had foresight, they wouldn’t support capitalism

[-] Rapidcreek@lemmy.world 26 points 5 months ago

Well, better get started on my three hour walk to the grocery store...

[-] baldingpudenda@lemmy.world 15 points 5 months ago

I can ride my bike to work as its about 10k away, but it's so damn hot im sure I'll get heat exhaustion before I get there. In May there was a heat advisory and basically told people, unless you have to, stay indoors after 10. The only way to be outside is in the shade in front of a fan drinking something cold.

[-] Boddhisatva@lemmy.world 15 points 5 months ago

Plus, riding your bike while the air quality is at "concerning" levels just doesn't seem like the ideal solution. You screw up your lungs to make a teaspoon of a difference while every factory in the area keeps churning out buckets of pollution.

[-] baldingpudenda@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

Yup, Texas is a petro-state. They don't give a fuck about you. Unless you fuck with their profits.

[-] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

North of 95F your body will start having trouble regulating temperature and hydration, ventilation, and shade become critical. On a bike you can only reasonably control hydration (can't depend on strong wind, moving at a constant speed, or staying under building and foliage shade) so basically 9 months of the year you're putting your health at risk to commute by bike. Riding a bike to the nearest bus stop and going from there might be the best middle ground.

[-] grabyourmotherskeys@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

Good thing you don't live in a 15 minute city, you'd starve! /s

[-] zeekaran@sopuli.xyz 1 points 5 months ago

I cannot fathom living a three hour walk from a grocery store.

I live in a suburb myself, but I'm still <30 minutes walking distance to a grocery store. Only 10 minutes by bike.

If you live that far out, that's both a failure of city design as well as personal choice.

[-] originalfrozenbanana@lemm.ee 23 points 5 months ago

Odd thing to request considering the conservatives in charge of Texas government deny that burning fossil fuels causes climate change.

[-] PM_Your_Nudes_Please@lemmy.world 12 points 5 months ago

Also odd because conservatives consistently defund public transport. In many parts of the state, there aren’t even sidewalks so you’re forced to either walk through the grass (potentially impossible if it’s overgrown or fenced) or in the middle of the street.

[-] recapitated@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

You're not wrong but the subject of the article is smog

[-] originalfrozenbanana@lemm.ee 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

And? These are the same people who roll coal to own the libs

[-] anticolonialist@lemmy.world 22 points 5 months ago

And Im asking for mass transit. I don't think either of us are gonna get what we want

[-] TragicNotCute@lemmy.world 22 points 5 months ago

Ah my favorite time of year where Texas guilts me for using a service I paid for.

just sent your thermostat to 90, think of your neighbors

[-] piskertariot@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

Sounds like socialism

[-] skulblaka@startrek.website 1 points 5 months ago

Want to unpack that one for the class?

[-] piskertariot@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

Considering the needs of others and suggesting behaviours that benefit the larger whole is often scoffed at in the United States. See: History.

[-] skulblaka@startrek.website 2 points 5 months ago

Ah, fair enough, I missed the sarcasm. That's on me.

[-] Boddhisatva@lemmy.world 21 points 5 months ago

"You can help prevent ozone pollution by sharing a ride, walking, riding a bicycle, taking your lunch to work, avoiding drive through lanes, conserving energy and keeping your vehicle properly tuned."

Oh, and stop rolling coal you dumb fucking rednecks!

[-] assembly@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

You know that the rolling coal people are seeing these requests and doing it more.

[-] ChihuahuaOfDoom@lemmy.world 17 points 5 months ago

Our thoughts and prayers are with you Texas.

[-] msmc101@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

what other modes of transit Texas. WHAT OTHER MODES. YOU DIDNT BUILD ANY

[-] Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 5 months ago

Wait wait wait, climate change is fake! Why would not driving do anything? I'm gonna double down and idle my RV and hummer and spare cruise ship burning bunker fuel in my driveway!

Hope it's obvious, but /s just in case

[-] LEDZeppelin@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago

Ozone pollution reaching concerning levels? That’s just the sweet smell of Freedumb™️

[-] autotldr@lemmings.world 3 points 5 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:

Texas officials are urging residents in some areas to use different modes of transportation other than their cars on Friday as ozone pollution in the state reach concerning levels.

"Atmospheric conditions are expected to be favorable for producing high levels of ozone pollution in the Houston, Galveston, and surrounding areas on Friday," the alert posted by the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

"Elevated levels of ozone—the predominant summertime pollutant—are likely to result in poor air quality in the afternoon and early-evening hours," the alert said on the NWS website.

"Ozone air pollution can cause respiratory health problems, including trouble breathing, asthma attacks, and lung damage.

Children, older adults, and people with asthma or COPD may be more sensitive to the health effects of ozone."

People also can conserve energy by setting their air conditioners to a higher temperature and limiting the use of gasoline-powered equipment, such as lawn mowers.

The original article contains 445 words, the summary contains 149 words. Saved 67%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[-] Boddhisatva@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

"Ozone air pollution can cause respiratory health problems, including trouble breathing, asthma attacks, and lung damage.

So get out there and ride your bikes, everybody!

this post was submitted on 09 Jun 2024

101 points (93.2% liked)

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