Going Green For Beer: Poor Mass Transit In The US Makes Alcohol More Dangerous

President-Elect Barack Obama is under pressure from all sides to create exactly the right kind of economic stimulus package -- some want it green, some want it huge, some say it has to be both (a trillion dollars? ouch!). Early talk had the stimulus going to revamp and green US infrastructure. Better transportation and better energy transmission.

Now there's another argument in favor of improving transportation in the US -- beer:

Driving under the influence of alcohol is a very serious matter. But count me among those who enjoy a good brew or single malt from time to time, so I am not without sympathy for those who find it difficult to enjoy themselves in a world where options other than driving are limited.

And now, the connection has been made. William Brand writes in his beer column for the Contra Costa (CA) Times, "What's On Tap":

"For instance, I live three miles from the closest BART station; there's only bus service 9-5 weekdays and it's five blocks to the damn bus stop. So I drive, usually to BART. Coming home, I don't get back in the car 'til I'm certain I'm sober. It's a hell of a way to live."

It reminds us of this green beer campaign from Australia:

Comments

[Caliwoman]

Went to college in England for a semester. Great pub life. Rowdy around the colleges, but in residential neighborhoods, youth, couples with kids, elderly all stopped in for a beer or cider. There was always (granted overcooked) stew or another simple meal on the menu. A great place to be social for a few hours in the evening. Families had the tables, seniors had the quiet corner, young men crowded around a small tv to watch soccer until the dolled up young ladies showed up. Then they were by the live music with them. People knew each other and cared if someone hadn't stopped in for a bit. We live behind our mammoth suburban garages and really miss out on this sense of community. Pour me a cold one so I can cry in my BEER.

[Arthur954]

That is what I like the least bout the US : the SILENCE OF THE SUBURBS. I have been to neighbourhood bars in England, and it is as you describe. In Spain, the same thing : a bar is a place for all the family. Then you walk home, all the time staying within the ´hood

[TimNorman]

LEGALIZE HEMP,
You can fry wings in hemp bio-diesel and they taste much better than canola or soy oil.
8 times more bio-diesel than canola or soy.

In New Hampster we have grass fed scottish longhorns
we fatten them on MICROBREW SLUDGE!

[IndependentBadger]

Its amazing to me that, given these arguments, Milwaukee doesn't have a train system running on frickin magic by now...

I'm drooling Schlitz, just thinking about it...

[landorf]

I've long thought what Dave Burdick said. I see roadhouses on the highway in the middle of nowhere and wonder how in hell people are not going to drink and drive. MADD style prohibitionism always seemed foolish to me in the face of bad land use policy. Not everybody will "designate" a sober driver, lots of people aren't even with someone else to be a designated driver. There's no contradiction between neighborhood taverns and bars via transit--they're two different safe approaches to having a drink. I recently saw a lovely post of "beer on BART" listing all the BART stations (San Francisco area) near bars with good beer. Civilized yet safe.

[AngusC]

Woohoo, now only if I could afford beer.... or food.... or gas....
Lol

[tobyjack]

Really and truly go green. Legalize Marijuana! Then I could forget about beer altogether.

[NYCSocialWork]

Seriously!

[AdV2k1]

And occasionally Men drink Patron Tequila.

[AdV2k1]

beer is the drink of swine. Men drink VODKA, RUM.

[HowietheScreamer]

Only Commies drink Vodka and Rum.

[Aabby]

So do WOMEN!

[TrooAmerican]

Men who are comfortable with themselves drink Beer.

If you compared 100 men that are average beer drinkers to 100 men that are average Vodka, rum, tequila drinkers, you'd see a few patterns.

The Beer drinkers could easily kick the panzy a--es of those who drink out of tiny cups.
The Beer drinkers get laid more often.
The Beer drinkers are less often alcoholics.
The Beer drinkers have more fun.
The Beer drinkers get to drink at public events.
The Beer drinkers are less often seen drinking out of a paper bag.
The Beer drinkers are less often coming home beating their spouses.

Beer is not as popular in places such as say, Russia, where spousal abuse is at a rate of 80%, and se-ual harrassment and assault is at a rate of 9 in 10 women victimized, and coincidentally, the rate of alcoholism with addiciton to vodka is over 80% of men.

[IndependentBadger]

If you ever want empirical proof, just come to Wisconsin. Beer is fuel. Vodka is basically candy.

[mytwosense]

He can't walk five blocks? Geesh. What does he do to work out -- lift his glass?

[HowietheScreamer]

16 oz curls.

[PrincessZelda]

I am REALLY disappointed at the Huffington Post's irresponsibility in publishing a lead headline that says "Going Green Means You Can Drink More Beer."
What a loat of schlitz.
Alcohol is the number one preventable health problem in the country. Our prisons and institutions and graveyards are crowded with people whose lives have been terribly damaged, or destroyed, by drinking; but HuffPost says more drinking is "going green".

This is a story that should be in a sleazy tabloid, not here.
Rating: minus ten for this one.

[KrystynM]

How about seeing past the headline and commenting on the content?

[Aramingo]

And for everyone whose been fouled up by drinking, there are dozens who drink and lead normal lives. Would you bring back the 18th amendment?

[uglicoyote]

Self-righteousness becomes you.

[flexo]

Three cheers for alcohol - the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.

[HowietheScreamer]

Sorry we experimented with forced prohibition... it didn't work. In fact, we are worse off for having tried it. All it did was strengthen organized crime, and make drinking booze "fashionable". If it weren't for the teatotaler crusaders we wouldn't have an epidemic of teen alcoholism, we'd be more like Europe or Japan where it's not "cool" but just a part of regular life. The penchant for Puritanism is what gets America into such trouble.

You don't want to drink, then fine... but keep your grubby fingers out of my beer stein.

[powder chowder]

this will only work if there's a bar at every train stop.

[HowietheScreamer]

Ever been to Europe?

[DS3M]

There (almost) is in chicago, lol

[JeepRover]

I've always supported Green initiatives. It's great to know that I've been doing so without even realizing it.

[klaatu barada nikto]

What about foam rubber cars? You could even paint them green.

[Stilts9]

How about golf carts with big carnival bumpers for driving in the urban areas.

[hortonhearsawho2]

Help. I'm green and I can't get up...say what.

[Realization]

Looks like what we need is more neighborhood brew pubs that support sports teams. Creates community spirit, is "green" (hopefully both ecological and profitable), and would help cut health care costs. Of course, that means that we need more neighborhoods rather than exurbs.

[KrystynM]

I would be behind this 100%

[hartkid]

the loss of the neighborhood tavern has been a great blow to local democracy nationwide. Suburbs have killed much of the libertarian spirit of this nation. little stinking planned communities with their plats and covenants and restrictions and blah blah blah. Sickens me. The United States of Generica could use some patriots in government to bring back the neighborhood tavern. Note that the tavern as a community gathering place never really existed in the South - the baptists kept the demon liquor establishments and dance halls out on the edge of town - roadhouses, they were called. thataway, only the wealthy sons of preachers could get out to them, I guess. In any event, look at the state of progressive democracy in the South during the last 100 years. I say, give me taverns or give me a pathetic excuse for a democracy. those are the stakes people. Let's start a pro tavern movement! The fist step begins with zoning ordinances and liquor laws. If MADD really gave a sh#t, they would be behind this instead of quietly working to effect prohibition.

[IndependentBadger]

AMEN! You think the Progressive Movement and Wisconsin are "coincidental bedfellows"?

Hell no! More like "drinking buddies".