Revisiting "Common Sense..." (2 of 5)

Public Transportation

This is not an option for my family.

Public transportation is a tough sell in a rural area. The valley has the Bitterroot Bus that covers the Hamilton/Corvallis/Granstsdale area, but my pie in the sky idea is a light rail running from the valley to Missoula. It would be nice to be able to leave the family car at home, jump on a train, and ride it up Reserve St., across Broadway, circle through downtown Missoula., and back down the Bitterroot. A train would take some commuter traffic off Highway 93 during the week and provide an easy way to travel to Missoula for the occasional shopping trip on the weekend. But it takes money, a steady ridership, and it would have to be less expensive and/or more convenient than driving. I understand that the Bitterroot doesn’t have a centralized enough population to make it easily feasible, but the track is already there and there is only one way in and out of the valley heading North. But… I won’t hold my breath.

Carpooling

The incentive to carpool is simple. Fewer drivers and more passengers equals fewer fill-ups and more money in the bank. We carpool often during the summer on weekend trips to softball tournaments. I remember in the past I’d ask the fellas, “Who wants to carpool?” I’d often receive a less than enthusiastic mumbled response that was meant to imply that most would rather drive themselves. Now, I don’t even have to suggest it. Everyone is trying to figure out how to fit the maximum number of guys into as few automobiles as possible. It’s funny how pricey gasoline changes attitudes.

Walking and Biking

My daughter and I put a few miles on our shoes in the course of a week. We hit the bank, the library, the book store, the church, and take multiple trips to the grocery store, all under the power of our own legs. Again, where we live makes it convenient, but there are enough incentives to walking that we’d do it regardless. The biggest advantage being after a morning of running errands the little one is ready for her daily nap which leaves time for Dad to catch up on the news, sports, bills, laundry, dishes, writing, reading,… everything a little girl won’t let Dad do when she’s awake.

If we need to travel a little farther, faster, my wife and I bike. She rides her bike to work five days a week and I ride to the park in the evenings to catch a softball game. I have extra motivation to bike, also. I loathe getting into a broiling car on a hot summer day. It brings back too many bad memories of sitting in traffic on a sweltering day in a certain midwestern city's sprawl trying to get home from work.

Walking, biking, and carpooling keeps our fuel bill small. We fill up the car about once a month. Not bad! And by not driving, we're being rewarded twice. The wife, ‘lil Grettlebug, and I get daily exercise and it costs us and the environment nada, zero, zilch, nothing!

Next time…
Make Your Home Energy Sufficient, Green Your Dream Home

Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 6 of 10)

Walking and Biking: Alternative Modes of Transportation

Alternative modes of transportation are anything other than a car, bus, or train. Because in America, motorized transport is primary. Anything else and you might have to break a sweat (and we don’t want to do that).

What’s the best alternative mode of transportation in America? Walking. Just put one foot in front of another. As they say in the infomercials, “It’s that easy!” Add in a pair of comfortable shoes and you’ve got a healthy, cost effective, eco-friendly way to transport yourself from point A to point B. Of course, effective walking does require some forethought. Ideally you have chosen a place to live that puts you within a short pedestrian commute from work, the grocery store, post office, and/or good shopping. By being within walking distance of a place you frequent it cuts down on the number of times you have to fire up that engine and fuel up the tank. And if you happen to be running a little late, just kick it into high gear. A little running never hurt anyone. Are you sold yet?

Do you have a little longer commute? Rather then creating stress by driving to work, reduce your stress by biking. Bicycling can be one of the most pleasant ways to commute. You experience the environment outside the confines of your automobile. You get to work and work out at the same time. It’s easier to park a bike than a car (and less expensive). And bike friendly towns like Missoula, MT and Madison, WI give cyclists their own lane on the road. If you are within five miles of your destination, biking is a great way to get there.

Of course, biking to work does require some planning, especially if appearances are important. A locker room at work with showers where you can store work clothes for the week is ideal, but if it isn’t available, a bathroom to change in and alcohol towelettes will clean you up quickly. If you bike in your work clothes, invest in some saddlebags for your bike to carry anything you’ll need for the day. Wearing a pack will leave you with a sweat stain on your back.

What are my bike options? We all have images of ourselves as Lance Armstrong on our bikes, but only he benefits from a carbon fiber composite frame, machined aluminum wheels, high-end rim breaks, and the latest and greatest footwear. He, unlike many of us, benefits from endless cash reserves also. Hi-tech, expensive equipment will hardly improve your morning commute. Commuter bikes and hybrids provide comfort and utility at a reasonable price. The rider sits taller, more comfortably, on a commuter bike than on a road bike and the larger diameter wheels make pedaling more efficient than on a mountain bike. A reasonable commuter bike or hybrid ranges in price from $300 to $1000. You can add on features like saddlebags, lamps, and fenders for small change. If you need to stow your bike in your workspace, a collapsible bike is a good fit. Some fold down to the size of a suitcase.

If you can’t bike or walk all the way to work, mix and match. Walk to a bus stop. Bike to a park-and-ride and meet your carpool. Bike to the platform the nearest commuter rail. Drive to a park near work and bike the rest of the way. The ways to green up your morning commute are endless and you might get a little exercise in the process.

I’d like to thank Rusty for jumping the gun with his questions on May 19th. He was right on the mark. You can check out his bicycle woes on his blog, Rust Never Sleeps. I don’t mean to discriminate against lazy people, so for those who hate to break a sweat, check out these green motorized options (scooters, mopeds).