Air Date: Week of November 14, 2008

Listener Kate Wukasch Kollman of Lafayette, Indiana says when Barack Obama is in the Oval Office, he should encourage Americans to make sacrifices for the environment. Her suggestion: to have at least one car-free day a week.

Transcript

GELLERMAN: It was nearly 50 years ago that JFK delivered his inaugural, “Ask not what your country can do for you…” speech. Now listener, Kate Wukasch Kollman from Lafayette, Indiana has advice for Barack Obama when he takes the oath of office. In this Cool Fix for a Hot Planet.

[COOL FIX THEME]

KOLLMAN: I think President Obama should encourage us Americans to make one specific change or sacrifice for the sake of the environment. And my idea is to ask Americans to have at least one car-free day a week. I think it would make a huge difference for pollution in the air and oil consumption, not to mention that people would be checking out their public transportation options, maybe riding their bikes or doing other things that are not so wasteful and consumerist as we currently do. And it would be a no risk goal for all Americans and if the leader says so, maybe people would do it.

[COOL FIX THEME]

GELLERMAN: And if you have a Cool Fix for a Hot Planet – let us know. If we use your idea on the air, we'll send you a sleek blue Living on Earth tire gauge. Use it to keep your tires correctly inflated and it you could save more than $300 a year. That's according to a study done at Carnegie Mellon University. Call our listener line at 800-218-99-88. That's 800-218-9988. Or email coolfix—that's one word—at loe.org. That's coolfix@loe.org.