The Idle Mayor
Jul 24, 2009
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Overall, I like Michael Bloomberg. His leadership of New York City seems solid, he is more focused on solutions than dogma, and does not seem to give a hoot what his rivals think. But I was disappointed that he has allowed his SUV’s to run idle for long periods at a time, as the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.
Yes, New York has become a leader in the renewable energy debate, and Bloomberg has proposed some practical ideas to reduce pollution in New York City, from charging tolls on vehicles driving into the city’s most congested neighborhoods to proposing more hybrid taxis. He’s also encouraged building owners to retrofit their properties in order to become more energy efficient.
Well, the AP stalked the mayor last week, and timed his SUVs as drivers left them idling for as long as 45 minutes—whether he was giving a speech or having his staff pick up lunch for him. It reminds me of a time last fall when I was running around my neighborhood, and within a half hour I twice ran by a little Mercedes running on idle while the driver was chatting on her phone. It’s infuriating—and toxic. The debate rages on whether idling is a pox on our air. I personally will turn off the car if I know I’ll be sitting at a stoplight for over 30 seconds—others will say I’m simply neurotic. But letting your car idle for a half hour or so is ridiculous. Add up all the self-important politicians who I’m sure don’t think about this issue . . . that’s a lot of wasted gasoline, not to mention what is going into the air!
The lesson here is that leaders need to practice what they preach to citizens. Or, as a former manager once coarsely told me, “S*** rolls downhill. Whether celebrities are flying their private jets, or John Edwards and Al Gore are living in huge mansions, or your neighbor is driving that mile to the store instead of walking, energy efficiency should be practiced everywhere by everyone.
Funny, I was going to write “sacrifice” instead of “energy efficiency,” but I caught myself. It’s not a sacrifice. We’re talking common sense here. And once you develop new habits, they will be like breathing.
Oh, and another question: why do politicians have to be carted around in SUVs or limousines, anyway? 