The local and national media has been wasting a considerable amount of time talking about the cost of gas. Yesterday, both WZZM 13 and WOOD TV 8 ran stories on gas prices, none of which engaged the topic in a substantive manner. WOOD TV 8's fearless reporter, Gerry Barnaby, traveled around town looking at gas prices and praised a new website, grandrapidsgasprices.com that lists gas prices in the surrounding area.

Not surprisingly, the news organizations failed to examine the true costs of driving--costs that extend beyond the price of gasoline and include the environmental and social impacts of driving. There was no discussion of the environmental destruction that comes from driving, the urban sprawl that makes driving a necessity for many, or the societal impacts of driving. For those interested in critically examining their own driving habits, Commute Solutions has an online test that allows one to compete their "true cost of driving" and examine other costs associated with driving.

There are alternatives to driving in Grand Rapids--people can either take a bus or ride a bike, however, the city does not spend enough money either promoting or facilitating alternatives to driving. Rather than adding bike lanes to streets, money is instead spent on expanding recreational bicycle paths such as Kent Trails. While these trails do encourage people to bike on the weekends or after work, they do not encourage bikes as a form of everyday urban transporation.