Things We Can Do To Save The Environment - Issue No. 14 - Ride the Bus

I can't even recall the last time I rode a bus to work.  But the one time I did, I was living in Corpus Christi, TX.  I remember having to rely on the bus for at least two weeks when the transmission in my Chevrolet Lumina (don't ask), fell out.

There were two good things that came out of that experience, I met some wonderful people on the bus and saved a bunch of money on gas!!!!  But just as I was able to keep some extra money in my pocket, I contributed to our environment in some form or another.

Giving credit to TIME,  I'd like to thank them for showing us the many ways we can help save the environment.  Just one person can make a difference, and it starts with YOU!
 
                                                   ~ Peter aka Blade7184

14. Ride the Bus

With transport accounting for more than 30% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, one of the best ways to reduce them is by riding something many of us haven't tried since the ninth grade: a bus. Public transit saves an estimated 1.4 billion gal. of gas annually, which translates into about 14 million tons of CO2, according to the American Public Transportation Association.
 
Unfortunately, 88% of all trips in the U.S. are by car. Partly, that's because public transportation is more readily available in big urban areas. One promising alternative is bus rapid transit (BRT), which features extra-long carriers running in dedicated lanes. Buses emit more carbon than trains, but that can be minimized by using hybrid or compressed-natural-gas engines. A study last year by the Breakthrough Technologies Institute found that a BRT system in a medium-size U.S. city could cut emissions by as much as 654,000 tons over 20 years. 

Thanks to high gas prices, miles driven per motorist dropped in 2005 for the first time since 1980, according to the Pew Research Center. The U.S. is ready to change. We're just waiting for the bus.
 
The original version of this article misstated the total amount of CO2 emissions saved annually by public transit. It is 14 million, not 1.5 million, tons.

Make sure to follow Blade 7184 every Tuesday for a new issue of Things We Can Do To Save The Environment.  Each issue is thought-provoking, informative and may hold the key to saving your children and grandchildren's future.

Please feel free to click on my logo to read any of the back-issues.

What a Hot Mess: Gaming at Wal-Mart

You see, this is what happens when you sit around all day doing nothing.  What a Hot Mess! 
 
Thank God I did nothing but play outside when I was a child.  But then again, we didn't have the luxury of online gaming and consoles to keep us inside. Or is this truly a luxury?

Look, maybe I shouldn't be so judgmental with this, because I've lost 61 pounds over the last 8 months.  But I did this in my later years and "I" chose to eat the things I did. When we were children, parents made those decisions.  They told us to go biking, or play at the park.  As a matter of fact, we did have a game console... It was ATARI, but this game in a box didnt' define who we were.  We wanted to play Superman and Wonder Woman, and run around all day long.  I know, it's the little things in life that made us happy. LOL.

What's Up With All Those Damn Red Equality Signs?

So in case you haven't noticed, your Facebook news feed is probably covered with Red Equality Signs.  That's because the Human Rights Campaign is encouraging you to stand up for marriage equality, as the Supreme Court will take up two cases involving Gay Marriage starting today.

And if your Facebook isn't lit up with all these red equality signs, its probably because you're one of my straight friends who doesn't hang out with too many homosexuals, but that's okay, because we love you all the same. :-)

The first arguments will be heard today involving the infamous Proposition 8 ruling in California where opponents of gay marriage managed to strip away the rights of all those couples who wanted to be recognized as an equal.  Tomorrow the court will hear the arguments involving the Defense of Marriage Act.

In short, if Proposition 8 is upheld (ruled unconstitutional), same-sex couples in California who were married, and want to marry will be legal.  

The Defense of Marriage Act is a whole 'nother story.... the decision here could legalize gay marriage nationwide, something most conservatives, Republicans, and Christians will go nuts over.

We should hopefully hear something before June, if not, sometime in July or August.  Stand up, wear your red and be proud.
 

Cyanide and Happiness: Push

This is so wrong!  So why am I laughing?  LOL.