Letter from Mikey own Web Site

Check this out !!! From Mikeys own web site,

he advocates hiking and cycling

==== http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande/ebrpd9.htm


December 4, 1993

Board of Directors

East Bay Regional Park District

2950 Peralta Oaks Court

Oakland, California 94605-5369

Motor Vehicles Don't Belong in Our Parks!

Gentlepersons:

It seems that every one of your agendas includes another request to
purchase more jeeps and tractors! Are you sure this is the same park
district that is always saying it doesn't have enough money? How about
disclosing the actual (lifetime) costs of those vehicles, including
fuel, maintenance, repair, and insurance, before you vote on buying more
of them?

Why doesn't the Park District set an example of environmental
responsibility for the public, business, and other private and
government agencies? EBMUD [the water district], I understand, is
actually considering putting wildlife concerns foremost in the
management of their watershed! This is the kind of attitude one would
expect to come from the Park District.

Experts say that oil is expected to run out in 30-40 years in the U.S.,
and 50 years, worldwide. I would hope that we wake up to this fact soon,
and begin saving this precious resource for making dental floss and
bicycle tires, rather than continuing to let it go up in smoke. Other
people are using motor vehicles as though there is no tomorrow; why do
you have to be just like everyone else???

With a little creativity, I am sure that you can figure out how to do
what is necessary to preserve the parks, without the continual use of
motor vehicles. It can't be done halfway: having the vehicles around,
"asking to be driven", makes it too likely that they will get used
unnecessarily. They are too tempting for our flaccid, jejune generation.
I know my limitations -- I don't keep sweets around where they can "call
to me"! You should do the same with motor vehicles.

If you feel that you must use a vehicle to pick up trash, how about: (1)
Ignore it; why should you pick up after members of the public too lazy
to carry out their own trash? Replace trash collection with an
educational program. I love that sort of work. I bought my own trash
picker-upper, and periodically clean up my favorite hiking trail. (2)
Contract with some homeless or unemployed to pick it up. In Berkeley,
they walk enormous distances to steal the recycling from the sidewalk
containers and carry it to the redemption centers. Not everyone is
allergic to walking. (3) Buy some bicycles and bicycle trailers and
collect it on a bicycle, perhaps sharing a bin with a nearby home,
business, or government office. (4) Contract with a local nonmotorized
transport business. They would love the work. Some of my friends are at
this moment working to start just such a business. (Call Auto Free Bay
Area, 510-849-0770.) I prefer # 1.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Vandeman, Ph.D.