HOW TO SAVE THE PLANET, FEEL MORALLY SUPERIOR, AND GET SOME EXTRA READING DONE

Photo by Thomas Hawk.

This morning I did something completely ordinary and mundane that somehow made me feel special and unique: I took public transportation to work.

Now, in most major urban centers, taking the bus or train to work is common practice. Los Angeles is not like most major cities. Most people have their own cars, so public transportation is generally relegated to the license-less. There's even a stigma associated with riding the bus. When I mentioned to some co-workers that I was considering taking the bus and subway to work, the most common response was "why in the world would you want to do that?"

REASON #1 - MONEY: As I filled up my gas tank for $3.70/gallon yesterday, I was reminded just how expensive it is to drive these days. The average price of regular gas in L.A. today is $3.78. That's up from $3.30 a year ago, and 17 cents more than just a month ago. My commute is 17.2 miles round trip, and even though my little Honda Civic gets anywhere from 28-35 miles/gallon, my gas costs per day are at least $2.25. Add in car maintenance and insurance, and the driving cost per day is anywhere from $6.15 to $14.75 (see AAA's 2008 driving costs). An unlimited day pass for the L.A. Metro is $5. A monthly pass is $62. You do the math.


Photo by vgm8383.

REASON #2 - CONVENIENCE: My bus stop is less than a half-block from my apartment.The Universal City Metro stop (red line) is actually closer to my office than the garage I'm required to park in. How's that for irony? Taking the Metro actually requires less walking than driving myself. It only took 25 minutes to get from point to point, which is slightly longer than my morning commute usually takes, but significantly less than the hour or more I spend driving myself home.

REASON #3 - FEELING SUPERIOR: Wanna get in good with Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio? Going green is all the rage these days, haven't you heard? While I'm still holding out to spot Leo at the Vermont and Santa Monica Metro station, it's true that our little planet needs some TLC, and every car we get off the road helps. Plus, you can feel good about helping fund a public works project that makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

REASON #4 - LOOKING AT SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE ROAD In my opinion, this is the best reason to ride the Metro instead of driving. On the bus and train, I can use my eyes to look at anything I please, whether it be a book, a video on my iPhone, or that hot guy across the way. When I drive my car, this is all I see:


Photo by The Infamous Gdub.

The most conspicuous thing about taking the Metro today was how empty it was. My bus had about 10 people on it. The train's seats were mostly full, but it was by no means crowded. And this was rush hour. The whole experience was very easy, quick, convenient, and stress-free.

Go Metro!