Earth Friendly Tips 5 -- Transportation for the Masses

It’s something everyone knows is a problem. It’s something most of us think we can’t do anything about. It kills us to pay for it. It’s gas.

To not worry about gas prices and transportation, you’d have to live under a rock. Nowadays, gas prices here are about three dollars a gallon—pretty cheap internationally, even nationally, but still pretty brutal. Mostly because I remember seeing it for 79 cents a gallon about eight years ago.

Thankfully, I don’t feel the pressure for gas as much as most people in the suburbs I live in. I have a cheap, small car that’s pretty gas-economic, and a short commute. I still have to pay about thirty five dollars to fill it up, though, which is not the most pleasant thing in the world. In my neck of the woods, there aren’t a lot of alternatives to this solution, though, so I have to bite the bullet until transportation services extend to me.

If you live in an urban area, though, buying a car, paying for gas, and driving through traffic seems like an overly difficult and expensive solution when alternatives are available. Here in Houston public transportation is pretty pitiful, with its main services involving the METRO transportation system. METRO’s lightrail is quite disappointing, and its bus system fails to extend to many of Houston’s suburbs. This is pretty bad considering the size of Houston’s population and its reliance on cars for transportation turns Houston into a traffic nightmare. Commuting is pretty horrific, especially if you have to go all the way across town.

Not everyone has to deal with a lousy transportation system, though, so take advantage of your resources while you can! If you can’t afford a car, public transportation can be a godsend. Subway and train systems are cheaper by comparison and also tens of times more efficient than stand-alone car travel. Even bus travel is cheaper and much, much more efficient than car travel. Also, when considering these options, there’s also the factor of parking costs. If you don’t drive a car everywhere, the worry of parking costs is eliminated.

The biggest concerns with public transportation are those of convenience and those of availability. Public transportation is going to take longer than private transportation in general (unless, in the case of trains and subways, the traffic avoided is worth the delay caused by multiple stops). Also, it may not be quite as clean or pleasant as one would wish. It can also be pretty crowded, depending on your route. If you don’t mind these hiccups, public transportation is the way to go.

For me, I don’t care much for the added conveniences of car travel considering gas and parking costs. Availability is the issue in my situation. If you live in a rural area, there isn’t much of an option for public transportation, and suburban public transportation can be limited. The idea shouldn’t be given up on altogether, though; if you’re heading the same direction as someone, save everyone a bit of money on gas and help reduce emissions by carpooling. Companies are also popping up that offer commuters carpool-type services, which may be interesting to research.

Also, keep in mind gas mileage when looking for a car. Please, for all our sakes, if you don’t need an SUV, van, or truck, don’t get it! And don’t even consider a Hummer unless you’re riding into a war zone! Small cars are cheaper than others, can accommodate most people, and are much more gas efficient. If you have the money, I recommend going a step further and buying a hybrid.

Another way to conserve gas is to better plan your trips before hitting the road. Where I live is a bit in the boonies when it comes to shops and such, but when I come to work I’m with two miles of pretty much anywhere I need to shop. So before I head out to work I make sure I’ve got a plan for what I need to do and pick up after work so I don’t waste three-fourths of a gallon to come back. Again, it’s another case of common sense in action.