During the summer months when ground-level ozone, or "smog," becomes a pollution problem, we issue Spare the Air advisories for days on which air quality is expected to be unhealthy. On Spare the Air Days, we ask Bay Area residents to fight pollution by driving less, taking public transportation, trip-linking, walking, biking, choosing not to use gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment, and avoiding polluting household products.
I woke up this morning knowing that it was a Spare the Air day in the Bay Area, but also knowing that leaving my car at home seriously did not fit into my plan for the day. I left a message on my friend Jen's voice mail. She works for Breathe California, a group that, among other things, encourages people to use alternate methods of transportation and to leave their cars at home. "I know it's a spare the air day, but can't I just drive up to the San Rafael Farmers' Market? It's not like I have to go, but I have time today and I'd really like to," I asked guiltily. When I talked to her later all she said was "If you must." I momentarily decided that I was going to go, and convinced myself that it would be okay since I was going to combine all my errands and drive as little as possible.
It was then that I remembered Siel. Better known as Green LA Girl, Siel posted last week about her adventures taking the bus in Los Angeles from her home in Santa Monica all the way to the Ikea in Burbank. Anyone who's spent time in Los Angeles knows that this is no easy task.
That was it. If Siel could get to a location nearly 27 miles away on a bus in Los Angeles, then I could do without my car in this major city for a day. I only had to run a couple simple errands and then I could go to the Thursday Night Farmers' Market at the Ferry Building instead of trekking to San Rafael.
I donned my hugely comfortable Keen shoes and headed out on to the bus. The first stop would be the CSA drop-off site to pick up my Eatwell CSA Box. We usually pick up a cardboard box full of our items, but since I'd be on the bus, I grabbed a few canvas bags and my new shopping basket for my trip.
511.org has agreed to have free transportation for the first 3 Spare the Air days this year. And since this was the first Spare the Air day, all transportation -- MUNI, Bart, and ferries -- was free. On my bus rides today, I didn't notice an abnormally high level of riders, but I am not a good judge of that.
After a short bus ride and a walk of a few blocks, I was at our pick-up site.
I filled my basket with all our goodies (carrots, turnips, lettuce, strawberries, cherries, cabbage, potatoes, summer squash and herbs), and was soon headed back home to drop everything off.
I later had it in my head that there was some additional fruit that I wanted to get. I was craving a fruit salad, and wanted to taste some stone fruit to see where it was in the season. I got back on the (free) bus, and headed toward the Ferry Building. I found a highly appropriate podcast to listen to, and was off. At the Ferry Building, I picked up some Out the Door spring rolls for dinner, some of Jason's favorite jams, and some fruits. This is a fun, if tiny market. The booths are set up in the middle hallway of the Ferry Building, and most of the inside stores have small tables set up to add to the market atmosphere. I ate a delicious sausage from Golden Gate Meats, and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the Ferry Building.
After leaving the market, I hopped on (free) MUNI to go to Jason's work and pick him up on foot, or to offer him dinner if he was going to stay at work (because that's the kind of girl I am). He decided to go home with me, and we walked back to the bus.
Tomorrow is another Spare the Air day and all transportation will be free again. If you want to participate, try planning your trip using 511.org in the Bay Area.
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