Fighting Climate Change - a good thing

Here is a short essay on why fighting climate change can make us all happier based on examples from my own life.

In other words, here are the good things that have happened to me after I decided to only travel by public transportation, especially the train.

1. I met my first Korean friend the first time that I got off the train here.

2. I discovered a direction for my writing. (I do most of my writing on the train.)

3. I discovered a really interesting historic site with a fort that is over a thousand years and a building called a hanggyo. I was curious as to the meaning of "hanggyo" so I wrote is down. Later I read an essay where hanggyo were explained, and I remembered what they were. Which is good because the explanations on the tourist markers are wrong.

4. On a trip to visit my parents, I saw a canyon in the Rockies that is only accessible by train and river raft.

5. By randomly taking a bus from an old job, I found a lake that none of my co-workers knew about.

6. I am less sensitive to cold and heat.

7. Which led to me having a fantastic trip by train to the Grand Canyon. No air conditioning. In summer. Actually, perfect. (The Grand Canyon is not Phoenix, however.)

8. I was one of the only people who didn't complain about the heat on a group trip to Hawaii. (By the way Waikiki is a fake beach. There are much nicer beaches on just about every island.)

9. I will eventually think of something else. (See below and Netflix Origami.)

I want to give a shout out to the Sanyo Electric Railway for turning off the lights during the day. There was so much sun that I was getting sunburned with sunscreen on (and I do know to reapply). Also, to the train that had fans instead of air conditioning. Especially since the passengers could turn them off. Which they did. It was cold in northern Japan this summer. I was freezing and then I would get on the train and the air conditioning would be on.

Update: Here is someone who thinks that Americans don't think of bicycles as a form of transportation because they are too much fun. Fun in the Snow

Sanyo Electric Railway

Sanyo Electric Railway company operates train lines within Hyogo Prefecture. With the Hanshin Electric Railway Company, Sanyo jointly operates an express service from Himeji to Osaka`s Umeda Station. As of August 2009, ticket cost 1,200 yen. All day tickets for Sanyo trains cost 1,400 yen. All day tickets for both Sanyo and Hanshin trains are 1,700. A three day ticket costs 50,000 yen.

The Himeji train station has escalator access to the rails, but no elevator. There is no English on the information boards.

Cars are subway style. They were the only ones that I encountered in Japan that did not have the fluorescent lights on during the day. Lovers of natural light, take note.

The Kansai Thru Pass works on some Sanyo trains.