Metro – A Communal Lynch Pin

As a daily rider of a Metro bus I am the first to admit that there are days when I would rather be in the comfort of my own car. However, when I really think about it, if we all succumbed to those wishes we would never interact with each other. In an increasingly virtual world, human interaction becomes less and less of a frequent occurrence, which is a potentially dangerous societal shift. Isolation only promotes misunderstanding and a lack of social awareness. Now, don’t get me wrong everyone needs there own space at times, all I am saying is that sometimes being crammed on a bus or metro with a bunch of strangers may actually be a society-enriching experience. In fact, you never know whom you might meet. According to a poll from The Hill, 88 of the 107 House members who responded had ridden the Metro.

To further elaborate and return to topic, riding a bus or metro is a communal act of environmental stewardship. We have all heard of the climate change implications of driving cars and thus should be proud that each time we ride Metro we are helping reduce carbon emissions. We are doing this not only by consolidating travel and removing cars from the road, but also because there are a fair number of Metro buses that run off of natural gas. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), natural gas emits 30 percent less carbon dioxide than oil, and just under 45 percent less carbon dioxide than coal. So, next time you are wishing to be in your own car while swinging from the handrail of bus, remember that it is a moment to interact with your fellow citizens and collectively solve one of the world’s most daunting challenges.

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