Going Green with Mass Transit: Taking the Bus to a Healthier Life

When Hurricane Ike came through Houston and took my brand new car. I was aghast. It had been years since I'd taken a bus. I was used to jumping in my car and driving wherever I wanted. The exorbitant price of gas was just the cost of that convenience. Since I lost my job at about the same time, purchasing a new car wasn't a luxury I was willing to take on. For me the city bus became my main mode of transportation. I'd ridden the bus all through high school and part way through college so I was familiar with the process. At this point it wasn't a conscious effort to go green but the most cost effective way for me to get around.

A Boon for My Health

A side effect of going green with mass transit is that it promotes walking and walking is by far the best exercise one can do for better health. Once you've been riding the bus for a while, you begin to know which buses run and where. A lot of times it's easiest to take a bus that drops you off five or ten blocks from your destination and just hoof it the rest of the way. I can just about chart the health benefits I've made. I have more stamina, clearer thought processes and better breath control. A side note. When you spend so much time at bus stops you start to work them into the a sort of exercise routines. A few squats here, a couple of triceps lifts there and the occasional lunge and before you know it you're feeling and looking better.

When I first started I'd be looking for every bench, I could find because I was plum tuckered out after a walk from the bus stop to wherever I was heading. However now, I purposely get off the bus a distance away from my destination and walk it the rest of the way. I feel like I can walk for miles.

I was not unaware of the health benefits of mass transit. Just before losing my car in the storm I'd sent a thought out into the Universe conveying that I'd been a much healthier person before I had a car. Well take a lesson be careful what you tell the Universe because it has a way of giving you what you need.

A Calming Ride

Taking the bus has produced another side health benefit I never considered. A calmer, more positive and happy me. I realize this because I have friends who drive and I find our conversations are vastly different now that I take the bus. Previously when my day ended and I'd make it in from a day of driving and navigating Houston's gridlock hell, I would be frustrated and irritable. It colored even my conversations with friends. Rather than talk about happy things we would commiserate about the miserable state of Houston's highways and byways. We'd pass negative energy back and forth and short circuit any good will we might have amassed during the day. These things are clear to me now, because my conversations with friends who drive are vastly different. Sometimes their frustration at the traffic is palpable. More than one conversation starts with an invective laced tirade about the inadequacies of Houston's driving populace.

These days we know that a healthy mind-body connection can have benefits for our overall health. Not dealing with the day to day stress of navigating traffic gives me time to focus on other aspects of my day with a positive aspect.

This isn't a diatribe against driving, because there are times when I miss a vehicle and when I really need one. Eventually, I will have another but the goal is to make mass transit a part of my life whether I have a car or not.

Time to Think

As writer trying to make a name for myself, I may have any number of ideas percolating in my head. The time I spend on the bus going from point A to point B gives me an opportunity to think, concentrate, make notes and try out any number of scenarios in writing. Sometimes riding along looking at all the different sights and scenery is inspiration for a new story or article. When writer's block threatens or a particularly prickly problem crops up, there's nothing like a long ride across town to open the flood gates of inspiration.

Giving My Wallet a Break

With rising prices and a tight credit market, a large part of our stress is financial. By taking the bus, I dispense with a great many of the costs associated with car ownership. Car notes, ongoing maintenance, gasoline, registration and inspection costs are all costs I have been able to recoup since I started riding the bus.

Good for the Environment

Of course, Earth Day serves to remind us that every step we take to better to the Earth is a step we take to be better to ourselves. One the most important reasons for going green, with mass transit, is that it lessens my overall carbon footprint. Not only is this good for me but it's good for all us. As each of find ways to lessen our impact on the environment we show our love for the Earth. Conserving energy, recycling and using are some other ways we can lessen our carbon footprint. Many of the buses on the roads today are running on hybrid engines or making use of more environmentally friendly fuels.

While it may not be feasible to take the bus every day, each little bit we do has a cumulative effect. Try to incorporate some form of mass transit a few days out of the week or for weekend excursions.

Earth Day Everyday

Earth Day is a day to raise awareness of environmental issues but the truth is everyday should be Earth Day. The effects of global warming are all around; from increasingly violent storms to the rapidly shrinking polar ice caps. However, it is still within our power to make a difference. Together we can save the World for future generations.

For information about local bus schedules and times in Houston, TX please call 713-635-4000 or visit the Metro site at http://www.ridemetro.org.