I'm not sure if there's a difference between old green and new green any more than between old money and new money. Money is money and green is still green, whether you're just starting to pay attention because it's in or you've been recycling for years. I'm old green. I can't remember not recycling or composting. I have grocery bags older than two of my kids. Yet... there are some sticking points. I'm happy in my rut and I can justify it any number of ways. Driving myself is so convenient. I can leave when I want and stop where I want. I have errands to run after work. Besides, my car gets good mileage.... Yeah, you get the point. But last week, my Catholic guilt grabbed my old green by the throat and -ta da -- I bought a bus pass and joined the mass-transit crowd.I used to commute to work in Santa Cruz regularly. I worked at City Hall and the buses ran by my house and dropped downtown regularly. The ride was 50¢ with a day pass costing a buck. We live in Eureka now and I've wanted to ride the bus....I really did. But, to CR? When would I leave? Can I fit work around the bus schedule? It's hard. Maybe tomorrow. Every excuse to not give it a try. Last week, I got the entire 4-1-1 from Glo and borrowed her bus pass. I hurried through packing my lunch and scurried out the door, straight down to 5th. The bus was on schedule. The driver was helpful. The riders were few. I arrived in my office exactly on time. That afternoon, the ride home was just as uneventful. The next day, I bought a pass for my very own. That brings the cost of the ride down to $1.50.
I may not be saving money but I am saving fuel. If I don't drive two days a week, I'm not buying fuel for my car on those days. I'm sharing the fuel it takes to ride that bus with all of the other riders. Sure, I'll have to schedule my errands. What night will I grocery shop? What night is my hair cut? But once I figure out those days, I can ride the bus on the days with no errands. I'm not sure if this will continue once school starts. Two of us riding the bus versus two in my car that gets good mileage will require a new equation with the variable being the price of gas by the end of summer.
Either way, I feel good. I broke out of my rut. And the ride gives me time to read James Patterson books I've had set aside.
