More People Are Getting on the Bus . . .

. . . and the subway. According to the American Public Transportation Association, the number of people using public transit has risen dramatically—30 percent since 1995. That's more than double the growth rate of the population.

Partly in response to rising gas prices, partly in response to growing consciousness about the environmental impact of automobiles, the change is a good sign.

Which reminds us, as Earth Day approaches (April 22), let's challenge ourselves, shall we? First, let's show the Earth some respect by giving a moment of thanks and committing to becoming more conscious of what we consume day to day. And second, by believing that it is, indeed, possible for human beings to live on this planet in a way that sustains it. After all, what we believe matters!

Seeing Beyond TO DO Lists

We Americans love setting goals. We dream of accomplishing big things. But with our dreams and To Do lists in hand, we tend to forget that, sometimes, so-called average people end up doing extraordinary deeds just by paying attention to what's in front of them.

Such is the case with Detroit native Viola Vaughn. Viola picked herself up after personal tragedy and did what needed to be done, no major, far-reaching goal in mind. The result is something far better than she could ever had imagined for herself.

Read and watch "The Best Job I Ever Had In My Life," for the inspiring story of Viola Vaughn and “10,000 Girls,” a project in which hundreds of “failing” school girls are now teaching each other and becoming entrepreneurs.

Dropping the Cafeteria Tray

InsideHigherEd.com reports that students at Alfred University "ran a test last semester showing that on two days when trays weren’t offered, food and beverage waste dropped between 30 and 50 percent . . . That amounts to about 1,000 pounds of solid waste and 112 gallons of liquid waste saved on a weekly basis, according to the college."

By taking only what they can carry, even though they can go back for seconds if they choose, students are more likely to take less, eat less, and waste less, reducing the school's food-bill bottom line significantly, and probably reducing the bottoms of some students as well.

University officials say student weight control isn't their mission with this effort. It's about reducing waste and consuming less water (those hundreds of trays have to be washed, after all). And, less food wasted means less food shipped, which means fewer trucks on the road, which means lower gas consumption, which means . . . You get the picture.

Other universities also are testing the trayless cafeteria, including the University of Connecticut, which has a three-week trayless trial underway. School officials are prepared for some student complaints. Change, no matter how beneficial, always faces some degree of resistance.