Greenpeace

I have long been a patron of the Portland Metro Area's lightrail Max trains, and of the region's elaborate bus system.  Today, though, I took my first ride on Portland's third public transportation service - the Portland Streetcar.  It was a short ride, from the Galleria Max Station to Powell's Bookstore and back, but it was enough to get a taste of this final public transportation option. 

Within the city of Portland - and much of the rest of the Metro Area - it is possible to get almost anywhere on public transportation, whether Max, bus, or streetcar.  It is the most environmentally way to get town.  If you ride public transit, you add no additional global warming pollutants to the atmosphere.  Furthermore, you are not giving your money to oil companies that drill critical ecosystems from Alaskan tundra to Nigerian rainforests.  The clenching benefit of public transit, of course, is to your bank account; dedicated Max, bus, and streetcar riders have no worries when gas prices rise (you must of course pay a fare to ride public transit in most areas, but it is much cheaper than paying for gasoline - frequent customers can reduce costs by buying monthly passes). 

Emissions from automobiles are one of the largest contributors to global warming - and do you really want to give your money to oil companies, anyway?  Every trip you take using public transit instead of a car decreases your impact on the environment.  There's no time like the present for change; the public transportation on your day out.

-Nick