Why It Will Never Change

I was fortunate enough to be among the few fortunate teachers in our school system to teach an experimental course to freshman called “Living In the Contemporary World”.

Among the myriad of interesting current events we discussed was energy. We discussed the whole range of energy related topics: fossil fuels, alternative energy, conservation, pollution, costs, global warming, and the environment. I’m not sure what the students learned from our discussions, but here is what I learned from them:

They believe that global warming is happening and it is happening because of the burning of fossil fuels. They believe that through the development of alternative energy sources and through conservation that we can slow and eventually regulate the changing climate. They believe that we can preserve our environment by curbing the use of fossil fuel, cut down on pollution, and generally be a happier, healthier, greener society. And, they believe that we can all make a difference.

I thought this was wonderful. “How wonderful,” I thought. “What wonderful children they are to be so concerned with the world around them, and be so interested in the preservation of our world for future generations.” Isn’t this wonderful? I mean, how could you not think this is wonderful? It really is wonderful, when you think about it.

Then I told them that it would never change.

Of course, they were appalled. How could I say that? Of course it’s going to change! Their generation is going to take control! Their generation is environmentally conscious and dedicated to fighting the cause of global warming!

Then I told them that I had a really wonderful idea on how THEY could help make their wonderful visions become a wonderful reality. And it would be a very simple act that would take absolutely NO effort on their part:

Don’t drive to school.

Yep. You heard me. Don’t drive to school. Lots of them will be turning sixteen years old in the not too distant future, and all they have to do to get the ball rolling is agree to not drive to school when they are so permitted by law.

“Think about it,” I told them. “If you all drive 5 miles per day to get to and from school, and you do this for 180 days per year, and there are 25 of you in this class, that would be 18,750 miles of driving per year. If your cars average around 25 miles per gallon, that would be 750 gallons of gas. So if you all would just take the school bus, which is already provided whether you use it or not, think of what a big step that would be!”

“And,” I continued, “if you could convince the other 500 or so 16, 17, and 18 year olds in the school to do the same, that would save around 18,000 gallons of gas per year, just at this high school alone! AND…if we could get the OTHER 16, 17, and 18 year olds at the other 9 high schools in the county to not drive to school, that would save 180,000 gallons per year, just in our county alone!”

“Now then: how many of you are going to sign an agreement that you will never drive to school, in order to conserve energy, help stop pollution, preserve the environment, and curb climate change?”

Not one hand went up.

“Come on!” I said. “Don’t you want to go green? Don’t you want to be part of securing your own future? All you have to do is not drive where you are already being provided public transportation! Come on! Why don’t you want to make it happen?”

Still no hands.

Why no volunteers?

As it turns out, you see, riding the school bus would be inconvenient. Plus, it’s uncomfortable. And they might have to sit next to someone they didn’t like. Some of them live on a big hill, and they would have to walk up and down the hill to the bus stop which could be dangerous in the winter if it was icy (as opposed to driving a car up and down an icy hill?). And, what if they have to work after school? Riding the bus home would mean they wouldn’t be able to start work until a half an hour later, and their boss might not like that. Plus, they’ve waited all their lives to drive, so why shouldn’t they?

“And that, my dear children, is why it will never change.”