First time riding the bus

The first time riding the bus to work, I mean, of course. I rode the bus daily in college - for years I rode the bus.

Although I haven't officially started my 30-day challenge, I rode the bus today just to see how feasible it was. I haven't started my challenge because I only have two pledges. Maybe you're thinking about pledging and wondering why you should pay for my college tuition, when I can just as easily pay for it myself. This is a valid point. The entire reason I want to become a master educator is so I can get a salary upgrade (and maybe I will incidentally become a 'master' educator). So, why don't I just take out a loan? It will pay for itself in time, right? Probably. But, it will take a loooong time, like ten years or more, and I don't want to take out a loan. Nobody likes loans. They're NG (ng in Japanese stands for "no good"). So, that's why I'm doing a fundraiser (and shooting myself in the foot by blogging about loans!).

So, let's talk about riding the bus. Today, I woke up extra early, which wasn't even necessary, because I sat in the kitchen waiting for time to pass so I wouldn't get to the bus stop too early. I was cooking with my high school Japanese class, so I did have to carry about twenty pounds of food, dishes, and utensils in my shoulder bag. I try not to use disposable dishes if I can help it (brownie points). While I was waiting at the bus stop, I experienced that old familiar feeling every bus rider gets, one I haven't felt in years, the one where you don't know if you missed the bus or not, or if it is even coming, and how long you should wait before you try hitchhiking. But it wasn't terribly cold outside and the bus arrived exactly on time. I was the only person on there and no one else boarded while I was on. I was dropped off fairly close to school and everything went disappointingly smoothly.

After school, I had to wait about five extra minutes for the return bus, and I got nervous again, as I had to be home on time to pick up my son from school, but it arrived in time and I made it home without any problems, except that the bus driver was telling a fascinating story about overcoming cancer and he didn't notice that I had requested a stop, and I didn't notice either for several blocks, so I had to walk an extra ten minutes back to the library where I was parked.

It cost me $5 to ride the bus today, which is $3 more than it would have cost me to drive. So, riding the bus is NOT the best economic choice, but IT IS a better environmental choice, which is the whole point of my challenge.

No post is complete without a photo, so here is what I carried in my arms today.

Welcome!

You know how kids do fundraisers with cute names like jump-a-thon and lap-a-thon and they get their friends and neighbors to sponsor "pledges" for them? I want to do one of those, but my bones are a little too brittle to jump for hours on end.

I have the opportunity to pursue a M.A. in Education and I need to raise some funds. So, I was trying to think of a fundraiser I could do. I could have a spaghetti dinner, like that Olympic family did, or I could shave my head, or donate plasma, but I don't imagine y'all would really support any these causes.

So, in the middle of the night, I had some inspiration! I got out of bed and came directly to the computer to share with the world.

Utah has really dirty air right now, right? What if I quit driving my car for a month and y'all sponsored me? Then, everyone would benefit from cleaner air and I could pay my tuition!

I did the math, and I fill up my car every two weeks, which is 12 gallons of gas at 25 mpg. That's 600 miles a month. So, what if I took a picture of my odometer, and at the end of the month, anything less than that, you sponsored me for? For example, if I drive only 30 miles in a month, you would pledge a penny per mile saved, and you would donate a whopping total of $5.70! I only need about 1200 sponsors at that rate, so please help spread the word!

Of course You are welcome to pledge anything from a penny to a dollar per mile saved. Please comment in the post below with your pledge amount. I accept all forms of payment. xoxo

This is my plan to save on mileage:
1) I will walk, ride my bike, or take the city bus in rain, sleet, hail, snow, or 15 degree weather.
2) I will NOT ask anyone to make a trip in my place (i.e. husband goes to grocery store in his car in my place).
3) I will only hitch a ride if another person is already planning on going to a place I need to go.
4) I will drive my car, if by doing so, I can save another person a trip. Like, if I need to drive to work, I will ask another coworker living nearby to drive with me, so they don't have to drive themselves. This trip will be deducted from overall mileage.

Just to show the depth of my commitment, I will also not eat out a single time this month. I will also pack my husband a lunch everyday so he doesn't have to eat out either. I've only packed him a lunch a handful of times in ten years of marriage. He eats out every single day. Not eating out will lessen our carbon footprint, in case that wasn't clear.

I'll blog about this experience regularly to let you know how feasible it is, so you can get started too!

Disclaimer: I'll accept funds up to the full amount of tuition and no more.

I realize some of you may say that if I can't be 100% car-free, why do it at all? Well, in the eleven years that I've been commuting to work, I've thought about it, but I've never once taken the city bus, because I don't want to wake up an hour early and walk to the bus stop and stand in the cold and then get off and walk from the bus stop to school. I don't want to take a change of shoes and mess up my hair by wearing a hat, and I don't want to have red, chapped cheeks during first period. But, I will do it this month, and doing something 95% is better than doing nothing. That's why.

I AM A HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER, AND I AM PRETTY SURE THE TITLE OF MY BLOG, ONE-LESS-CAR IS GRAMMATICALLY INCORRECT. I CHOSE IT, AND NOW IT'S TOO LATE TO CHANGE IT! FOR ALL YOU GRAMMAR JUNKIES, I'M SO SORRY, AND I KNOW IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ONE-FEWER-CAR. I'M SO EMBARRASSED!

Crossing my fingers!