Okay, so I’ve been trying to be a bit more eco-friendly lately, and one big thing I wanted to tackle was my commute. I live pretty close to work, but I was still driving every day. It felt wasteful, you know?
Looking at My Options
First, I checked out the bus routes. Turns out, there’s a stop just a couple blocks from my place, and another one right by my office! The schedule seemed pretty decent too, with buses running every 20 minutes or so during rush hour.
Next, I dusted off my old bicycle. It had been sitting in the garage for, like, a year, gathering cobwebs. The tires were flat, and the chain was a bit rusty, but it was still in okay shape.
Finally, I even considered walking. It’s a bit of a hike – about 3 miles – but I figured it could be good exercise. Plus, fresh air!
The Experiment Begins
I decided to try each option for a week to see what worked best.
- Week 1: The Bus. This was pretty easy to get used to. I downloaded a transit app to track the buses in real-time, which was super helpful. The ride was comfortable enough, and I could read or listen to podcasts during the commute.
- Week 2: Biking. First, I took my bike to a local shop to get it tuned up. They pumped up the tires, oiled the chain, and adjusted the brakes. Biking was definitely more effort than the bus, but it felt good to get some exercise. I did arrive at work a bit sweaty, though!
- Week 3: Walking. This was the most challenging. It took me almost an hour to walk to work each way! My feet were definitely tired by the end of the week. But, I did notice things I’d never seen before while driving – little shops, pretty gardens, that kind of thing.
Making a Decision
After trying all three, I realized that each option had its pros and cons. The bus was the most convenient, biking was the best for exercise, and walking was the most… well, tiring, but also interesting in a new way.
Ultimately I have decided to settle on using the bus for most of my working days, and then save biking and walking for the weekends.
So, that’s my little experiment with sustainable transport! It’s been a fun little journey to get to know other ways to work. I’m still figuring things out, but I’m feeling pretty good about reducing my carbon footprint, one commute at a time.
