Jehnifer's Theories

Buenos Dias!
Welcome to the sustainability chronicles. First off, I cannot promise coherency. I am a little ADD and my writing DEFINATELY reflects this. Especially in the realm of free flowing blog writing...So, bear with me or feel free to tune out at any time. =)

Today I am faced with the conundrum of purchasing ASU's new metro card. So bust out your calculation skills (or machine, in my case) and play along. Since I now find myself working as a full time Program Coordinator I no longer can reap the benefits of the formerly free U Pass ASU once offered. If you are a student reading this, this is oh so pertinent to you as well. What is a U Pass? It's the valley metro card that ASU offers. It was once free for students but now costs you 80 bucks! It is good for both the bus AND the light rail. As an employee, this nifty little card now puts me out 380 bones if I get it in the very beginning of the year. So, for all intents and purposes, let’s figure out if the current charge of $330 is really worth it.

I know what you are thinking. "You have a car, don't you? Why bother!?" Yes, I do have a car. Do I like driving it every day? No! Is the weather currently a blistering 400 degrees outside? Yes. Ok, not really, but any sustainable Phoenician knows how much it sucks showing up to work dripping in sweat because of the bike ride they just incurred. By my calculations, I have about 35 work weeks left this year. I plan to use the card on weekends and evening activities where applicable. If I were to take my car everywhere I went, let’s say that equals a tank a week. Last time I filled up, it was exactly $28.48. But we all know how gas prices like to fluctuate, round it up to an even $30.00 for arguments sake. Purchasing the metro card through ASU works out to be a whopping $9.43 per week! $330 verse $1050 is looking pretty decent now, isn't it?

What about all that time you spend (or waste, in some people's opinion) standing around waiting for the bus, riding it's slow ass routes, walking from point A to point B etc..? Ok. There is a trade off. But how do we quantify this trade off? For some, giving up the use of their car would feel like chopping a limb off. They are so attached to their vehicle, and the "freedom" they believe it affords them, there is no way the benefits of foregoing such a luxury is worth it. For you, I can't offer much else. I hope there is a shiny chrome ride waiting for you after you die. For the rest of us, there are more considerations. For instance, how do I maximize all that waiting around? Easy! Thanks to modern technology most, if not all of us have mobile devices that we can continue our communications and work on to stay on top of our business. It can also serve as wonderful down time to read, write, and catch up with old friends or just plain zone out. That's right, I said it. My name is Jehnifer and I am a day dreaming addict. It's lame, self indulgent, unproductive but it feels so good! How much better the world would be if we all gave ourselves time to do this.

To combat the immobility of leaving your car behind, consider getting a bike. The pros stack up real fast here as well. Physical fitness is high on the list. Mood boosting is a close second, as the chemicals released during physical activity are known to blast those blues away. But wait! I am a young female professional now! Half my work attire consists of skirts. So.... bring the razor back! Oh yeah, I am talking about that cheap little scooter every kid was crazy about like 10 years ago. I would say grab your skate board but some of my skirts are expensive and I'd hate to wipe out in them. A scooter just makes sense! In conclusion, quantifying the decision of "To ride, or not to ride?" is kind of hard, and ultimately a personal decision. I am not an economist. But, at the end of the day, I still feel that budgeting my life in order to use alternative transportation is how they say... "Priceless."

Labels: sustainability, sustainability chronicles, transportation