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Transportation

Residing in Roseville, CA there is little opportunity for me to take public transportation. However, I’ve lived and traveled in cities where public transportation was well-promoted and highly used. 

During my undergraduate years, I didn’t own a car and heavily relied on the school’s public transit and ride share system, as well as the carpooling system between me and my friends who had cars. Given the circumstances, I was motivated to walk most places I needed or wanted to visit, which was beneficial for my physical health as it gave me a reason to exercise. This was also my contribution to protecting the environment as it helped to reduce air pollution by limiting my car usage. Additionally, I was one less person on the road adding to traffic, which helped to decrease self-induced or situation-induced stress. Although my life has become more convenient now that I have a car, being carless then was a healthier option because it allowed me to remain active and appreciate the outdoors.

On another note, I’ve also visited Portland, Oregon which is quite well-known for its public transit. During my short stay, their statewide train system sufficiently allowed me to explore and learn about a new city on foot. This system is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and expand one’s social networks, which is advantageous for people’s health because it provides a method to develop one’s circle for social support. People will consequently spend less on fuel and cars in general with increased public transportation. Furthermore, the community’s respiratory health also improves as air quality improves due to people opting into taking public transit. The regulation of driving private vehicles reduces unnecessary gas emissions that can destroy the Earth’s atmosphere. Given this, public transportation has been a crucial public health effort for promoting physical activity, as well as protecting the public's respiratory health and air quality in the community. 


Comments

  1. JudyJudeSeptember 16, 2018 at 7:24 PM

    Nica, it would be advantageous for Sacramento and Roseville to invest in a safe, secure, and reliable public transit. I agree that when we use public transportation it is not only beneficial for our environment, but also our health. Physical activity increases and the air quality improves.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Antonio SorianoOctober 9, 2018 at 5:13 PM

    Hi Nica, I also have become fond of public transportation. Your experience with the Portland Public Transport System is very interesting to read. I think it is important to recognize that protective security is important for commuters. I was pickpocketed the last time I used public transport and I unfortunately had trouble contacting the correct people to mediate the action.

    ReplyDelete

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