A Greener Approach: Riding with a New Awareness
~ By Brooke
I rode the bus to work for the first time ever this past Monday. Why now? This week is Bike to Work week, and while I don’t have a bike, I took the opportunity to travel a bit more responsibly. As our office has taken steps to become more eco-friendly, I have also been seeking ways to implement “green” practices in my personal life. Typically, I drive to work in my Jeep Liberty, which gets about 18 miles to the gallon in city traffic. I calculated it, and if I used public transportation to work every day, I would use 153 fewer gallons of gasoline over the course of a year than if I drove. The cost for a bus pass for an entire month is less than the cost of filling my gas tank. Not only would I save money (on gas, car repairs, oil changes, etc.), but my car and I would not contribute as much to the city’s emissions.
Having grown up in Arlington, Texas — the largest U.S. city without public transportation — I’ve never considered the bus as an option when I’m planning a trip, despite our great system here in Eugene, Oregon. In fact, the idea of using public transportation has always been pretty intimidating to me. In Arlington, everyone seemed to own a car, including teenagers. Rarely did I even see people walking to a nearby destination, and carpooling was usually not given consideration. A person’s car is an extension of themselves. Public transportation can reduce the number of cars used daily, thus reducing a city’s carbon footprint. In fact, I did a bit of research to compare Arlington and Eugene. In 2005, Arlington’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions averaged out to 20.2 metric tonnes per capita. Eugene’s GHG emissions averaged to 8.6 metric tonnes per capita in the same year. That’s a huge difference!
So this week I left my car at home and took the bus – and had a great experience! While on the bus I caught up on some reading and writing, people watched, and relaxed. One reason people cite for not taking advantage of public transportation is the many changes it would bring to their lifestyle. I simply had to wake up earlier, research the route on Google Maps, and be sure that I packed all of my belongings. I did forget to pack a lunch, but I just walked to a local café to eat — saving more gas and getting some exercise at the same time. All in all, I was not inconvenienced by using the bus.
The easy steps to use public transportation far outweigh the negative effects of using a car daily. When looking at these statistics taken from the Environmental Defense Fund, the case for public transportation is pretty strong!
- ONE car in the U.S. emits 12,000 lbs of carbon dioxide per year;
- Each car in the U.S. uses on average 600 gallons of gasoline per year.
I feel encouraged by this positive step in reducing my carbon footprint. Do you use or have you considered using public transportation? What changes, if any, did you have to make to your lifestyle?
May 26th, 2010 at 8:44 am
I usually car pool to work, although on occasion I do take the bus. For me, it means an hour bus ride (one way) or twice the time of my usual commute. I enjoy it though, because I use the time to read, write, knit, people watch, and generally enjoy scenery I miss while driving. Changes to my lifestyle include extra planning the night before so that I get out the door on time in the morning. I doubt I would enjoy it on a regular basis, but on occasion it is a nice treat.