M3.5 Public Transportation

M5. Public Transportation 

I used public transportation when I was younger from my freshman year of high school to my freshman year in college. In Sacramento, I recall there being spare the air days when it was hot and air quality was really bad. I remember the bus fare for the Regional Transit was free. I had to do a lot of walking to and from the bus stops, so I definitely remember never having the extra pounds in high school! I stayed very fit. On spare the air days the light rail stations would be packed with people. I always wondered if incentives were given to car poolers. According to the reading by the American Public Health Association (APHA) “Communities that are walkable and have access to transit generally have a lower dependence on automobiles and encourage physical activity. Studies have found that men who commute to work on public transportation are 44.6% less likely to be overweight or obese due to increased active commuting” (APHA, 2019).  Spare the air days have always seemed to be big in Sacramento, but I haven’t really heard of any major improvements from air quality efforts especially after the fires. Climate change is to blame for the worsening air situation hear in the valley and it is undoing all efforts made by the county.