Day 10 of Daily Footprint Project. I had to attend a business meeting in San Francisco late in the evening. Full of good intentions, I had planned to take the train.
Until I looked at the Caltrain schedule.
My meeting was from 6.30 to 8.30. The next train was at 10pm. I would not have gotten home until 11.15. Driving got me home at 9.15 instead. I am willing to go only so far with my green-ness. Two hours make a huge difference, especially this late at night. That’s a distance of 72 miles I could have not driven, if only the Caltrain system had been a bit more responsive to my needs.
I don’t know how many other folks go through this kind of calculated trade off. Huge invonvenience and pure green-ness, versus no hassle and a smeared green conscience. Again, economics come into play. Do the numbers warrant more late night trains? What is the cost of running more trains? Financial costs? Carbon pollution costs?
Upon further examination, I found this to be a hot issue in the Bay Area. Several advocacy organizations have been stirring the pot. The local papers have written articles on the subject. The real problem is not so much Caltrain, as the lack of a sound overall strategy for the whole Bay Area public transit. The train (Caltrain), bus (VTA), and subway (BART) authorities need to work together with local residents. This raises questions of leadership, priorities, and policy.
Daily Footprint Project Daily Log Day #10 Water personal: flush toilet 4 wash face 2 brush teeth 2 wash hands 5 two showers at the gym mom: communal: Electricity/gas personal: electric toothbrush 2 microwave tea 4’ microwave oatmeal 4’ laptop on half day mom: heat chocolate milk communal: lights Food personal: oatmeal with organic milk organic orange tea organic milk organic chicken soup organic bread mom: organic blueberry muffin organic hot chocolate communal: pizza takeout salad Waste personal: toilet paper orange peel salad veggie peelings mom: communal: 3 newspaper plastic wrappers Recycling personal: mom: communal: 2 papers 4 pizza cardboard boxes Transportation personal: drive to gym 6 miles drive to San Francisco 72 miles mom: communal: Non food shopping personal: mom: communal:
La Marguerite 