Spare the Air Day

As gas prices rise ever higher and air quality continues to decline, public transit is becoming a more financially attractive (and eco-friendly) option for commuters. In an effort to promote air quality and give potential new customers the chance to test its transit system, the Butte County Association of Governments is sponsoring free B-Line bus rides on Thursday, May 3. “Spare the Air Day” will extend to all regular fixed B-Line routes in Butte County, including Chico, Oroville, Paradise, Gridley, Biggs, Magalia and Palermo. If that doesn’t convince you, here are some facts that might:

• Public transportation saves the United States 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually, or more than three times the amount of gasoline imported from Kuwait.• Households near public transit drive an average of 4,400 fewer miles than households with no access to public transit. This equates to an individual household reduction of 223 gallons per year.• One person switching to public transit can reduce daily carbon emissions by 20 pounds, or more than 4,800 pounds in a year.• A single family member switching to public transportation can reduce a household’s carbon emissions by 10 percent.

Source: greenperl.com