21. Use public transportation.

Last week we talked the ‘walk’ versus driving benefits. This week we pile-on the driving disdain with a suggestion to choose public transportation over driving. Choosing to use public transportation not only reduces traffic and air congestion it also reduces disdain congestion - it’s usually a more carefree commute and it provides your current and future self with much-valued cash-savings. 

To help you ‘Use public transportation’, here’s a simple 2-step process:  

1 - Walk (or drive?) to the nearest public transport depot.

2 - Smile and look at someone in the eyes when you get on the (bus, ferry, train, subway, cable-car) and see if you can get people to smile back. 

In addition to saving cash, carbon outputs and general commute disdain, your future you will get a kick out of the return smiles you get from your fellow commuters who may have had an ‘unwilling to smile’ sort-of-day up until then.  

P.S. - It’s been reported that Corporate Housing companies help people use public transportation because corporate housing is all about efficiency and we help our guests find their easiest and smile-filled commute to their work. We also tend to give-out free smiles.  

P.P.S - A new statute passed that starting in July 2023, DC’s bus system will be fee-free.  https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/30/dc-free-bus-bill-becomes-law-zero-fare-transit.html

This series is focused on Simple Sustainable Actions - based on Stephane Omsanski’s article in Parade from 2021.

https://parade.com/1300935/stephanieosmanski/ways-reduce-carbon-emissions/

21. Use public transportation.

Public transportation is another great way to reduce emissions. Since public transit can transport dozens of people all at once, it cuts down on energy/fuel/emissions needed and made. If 30 people take public transit, that's a lot fewer emissions than if 30 people separately drove their own cars.