Local Tampa Bay Sierra Club Holds Talk On Traffic And Smog Issues

The Tampa Bay Sierra Club is dealing with traffic and smog issues with a very cool meeting on Wednesday at 7 PM at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1700 E. 9th Ave. in Tampa.

Marcia Biggs, the Tampa Bay chair of the local Sierra Club, says the average commuter spends 46 hours per year sitting in traffic.

Could this contribute to the fact that The American Lung Association gives Hillsborough County an F for ground-level ozone pollution – also known as smog – produced when heat and sunlight cook tailpipe emissions. From 2007-2009, Hillsborough County reported 21 days when ozone levels were high enough to issue health warnings – the highest number in the state.

The foundation for the quality of life we desire – with clean air and less traffic congestion -- is an effective and efficient transportation system. The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) was created in 2007 to work toward building a world-class transportation network for the seven-county region of Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas Citrus, Hernando, and Sarasota counties.

Transportation is an investment in our quality of life, our economy, and the future development of our region. Moving to mass transit will also reduce tailpipe emissions, greenhouse gases and fuel consumption.

Lou Gomes from TBARTA will speak and show us what’s being done now and what’s planned for the future on mass transit. Phil Compton will join in on the discussion as head of the Sierra Club’s Healthy Air Campaign.

Phil is building the support in Tampa Bay and Sarasota that’s needed to make these changes materialize. He’ll fill us in on this new campaign and let us know how we can help to make the move to Healthy Air by supporting mass transit and reducing our addiction to oil. Get ready to take action!

Come learn what we can do now to reduce congestion, clean up our air, and in a few years, create a freedom of choice that finally connects us all under clear, blue skies.

Sierra Club meetings are free and open to the public. Call Marcia at 727-797-6261 for more information.