“C” is for Congestion; and that’s good enough for me.

What do Singapore, Oslo, Toronto, and London have in common? They are among a number of cities to adopt traffic-reducing legislation. Popularly known as congestion charging, this legislation aims to improve the health of urban areas.

If your city suffers from congestion, stuffiness, poor air quality, slow public transportation, and irritating gridlock, you may be able to benefit your community by recommending congestion charging to your local officials.

What wouldn’t we give for clean air, less asthma and lung and heart disease, safer streets, and a healthy environment? But these are only a few of the perks of pushing for this legislation in your hometown or city.

Toronto commuters can now get home from work twice as fast (and surely with fewer bumper-to-bumper headaches). Londoners enjoy lower fairs on better-funded public transportation and a 20% drop in polluting carbon emissions, which will benefit health as well as the environment. In Melbourne, 86% of motorists said that the toll enabled them to get around the city more easily. Even in Norway’s Trondheim, where congestion charging met with initial resistance, public approval climbed from 26% to 64% in the first four years after the legislation was implemented. In other words, by all accounts this is exceedingly popular and effective legislation. (Commission for Integrated Transportation)

Here’s where we come in. We all know that the United States is the biggest per capita emitter of climate-altering CO2 and that much of this pollution comes from the vehicles we drive. As Environmental Defense puts it, “If U.S. cars and light trucks were a country, they would be the fifth most polluting nation in the world.” Now we can hang our heads, count our toes, and feel guilty, or we can do something much more interesting and exciting. And this is where the fun starts.

Contact your local mayor and city council to let them know how great it would be to see a congestion charge implemented in your city. This is a great chance to improve funding for city streets and public transportation, benefit the physical health of your city’s residents, reduce the number of auto deaths and injuries each year, clean your air, fight global warming, and do it all by getting involved in the governance of your city. It’s good, old-fashioned activism in a positive, inspiring way.

Some more good news: you may find more support than you would think for congestion charging in your city or town. Across the U.S., municipal leaders are already showing willingness to look for ways to reduce carbon emissions. Over 500 city mayors have already signed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Congestion charging is a great way to meet their climate goals (and yours).

Other Eco-Creativity Opportunities

If a congestion charge doesn’t feel quite right to you, consider what other solutions your city could find to its traffic troubles and pollution problems. In Trento, Italy, my Trentino friends tell me, cars take turns sharing the road: one day only cars with odd-numbered license plates are allowed on the road, followed by cars with even-numbered plates. Because Trento is in a valley, auto exhaust pollution poses an even more serious health risk, so this legislation helps keep people healthy and drivers happily traffic-free.

Another solution is to leave letter writing behind and join a local bicycle group and turn your commuting and errands into healthy and fun bike rides. This accomplishes traffic calming as well with one less car.

Taking Activism International

The London congestion charge has succeeded in improving public transportation, safeguarding health, cleaning the air and environment with reduced CO2 and particulate emissions, made commuting easier, and become more even popular today than it was when it was first signed into law.

However, the U.S. Embassy decided several years ago to stop paying this road charge, angering city officials and causing general international unrest. While this is nothing particularly new for U.S. foreign relations, wouldn’t it be nice if for once we could just get along with the rest of the world? (This story was the subject of an article by my fellow blogger, Heidi Strebel: “London Mayor Wants to Crush American Ambassador for Refusing to Pay.”)

So here’s another great activism opportunity. Feel free to contact Ambassador Robert Tuttle by phone at 442074999000 ext. 2211, or at the following address, to request politely that the U.S. Embassy repay its accrued debt to the London government and resume its payment of the London Congestion Charge. Always remember that when you call or write someone to take action, kindness and courtesy are important attributes. There’s an old adage that you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. Personally, I would think that pollen or flowers would work best, but who am I to rewrite wisdom?

Before you contact the U.S. Embassy in London, you can also listen to both the argument of the London city Mayor, Ken Livingstone, who insists that the U.S. Embassy settle its tab with the city, as well as the defense of U.S. Minister David Johnson that the “charge” should be considered a “tax,” which would exempt foreign officials from obligation.

Ambassador Robert Tuttle
Embassy of the United States in London
24 Grosvenor Square
London, W1A 1AE
United Kingdom

Dear Ambassador Tuttle,

Sir, I just read a news article about your unwillingness to pay the London congestion charge on any of the vehicles used by the American Embassy in London. I understand your concern that the Embassy not be subject to foreign taxes in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. However, it is in the best diplomatic interest of Americans at home and abroad that the American Embassy in London comply with the city of London and pay the congestion charge, which is, after all, a charge and not a tax.

It is of the utmost importance to Americans at home and abroad that ambassadors of this country build a positive political image. In order to maintain a positive image, the American Embassy and its employees must perform their duties with a sense of responsibility for the city and the country where they work. Flouting city laws and angering elected city officials is definitely not good press for America, especially when the law being broken concerns the health of local residents.

The London congestion charge is designed to benefit and protect the residents of London. Health officials, like the American Lung Association, are quick to remind us of the obvious connection between car exhaust and respiratory and cardiovascular health. By reducing the number of commuter vehicles used daily, the congestion charge helps to reduce harmful air pollution. Among the congestion charge’s other contributions to London are safer city streets with 38% fewer private cars, better public transit through much-increased ridership, 2 billion pounds a year to serve the city, and a 20% reduction of carbon emissions, according to Mayor Livingston’s office.

By ignoring the congestion charge, the American Embassy undermines this important legislation, which helps to protect the health and wellbeing of London residents. It is doubly surprising that the American Embassy should show such little respect for laws governing the capitol city of England, which has been a steadfast supporter of American interests.

I respectfully ask you, Sir, to consider the best interests of London residents and the good image of the United States of America, which you represent abroad, and to comply with the London congestion charge.

Sincerely,

Happy Activism!

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fictiondreamer/523447351/