Mass transit is a necessary service for those persons not able to work near to home. Its design and scheduling is a crucial function of its utility; failure to run sufficient direct rail lines into downtown urban
centers in most large cities renders very long commute times and often necessitates individual vehicle use to reach the train station, for example.
Mass transit is less wasteful of fuel and energy than personal vehicles in most cases, and for that reason it is a benefit to the environment by way of reducing emissions. As an example, trains will run whether
you are driving into the city or not. Therefore, your choice to drive in uses fuel that would not have been spent had you taken the train that will still go into the city despite your choice to drive. This created
additional heat output and emissions of polluting gasses that is unnecessary and wasteful.
In addition, trains are almost exclusively diesel-powered and so are most buses. This allows these vehicles the option of fueling with biodiesel, a product of waste vegetable oils and used fryer oils that are
stripped of glycerides to render them nearly identical to petroleum diesel fuel in burning quality and energy content with greatly reduced emissions of most pollutants vs. petroleum diesel. This is largely because
biodiesel has not sat for millions of years buried under the Earth dissolving sediment contaminants, ash, and other materials that cause harmful emissions from petroleum diesel use. This includes the near
Additionally, two thirds of the energy released in burning biodiesel is a result of solar energy captured by plants in their production of natural vegetable oils during growth while about one third is from the
production process. This means that biodiesel has a net positive energy input to the economy, whereas other fuels, such as ethanol and methanol consume more energy in production than is released when they
are burned, resulting in a net energy loss when using these fuels.
Another benefit of biodiesel use is that it retains money spent on fuel in the domestic economy, gives farmers the opportunity to sell more of the plants they grow instead of wasting large portions of crop
plants, and creates domestic jobs at production facilities, distribution companies, and storage facilities. This means increased economic growth domestically and less insecurity over energy resources when
compared to petroleum fuels. You will not likely see a war fought nor a deficit increased to secure biodiesel access. These fuels are produced through our own agricultural economy, which certainly can use
the boost fuel crops can provide.
For all its benefits, mass transit is inferior to local employment when it comes to allowing employees more time at home or with family and in pursuit of leisure activities, hobbies, or community service activities.
Local employment often allows employees the option of walking or biking to work within minutes - allowing for greater physical fitness and better health. This aspect of local employment also reduces
transportation demands for fuel and traffic stress on highway systems.
For these reasons, employers are better served by locating near reasonably priced suburbs where their employees can afford to live near work. This will result in employees having more free time, not needing
extremely high wages to afford the commute into the city, having reduced overall health care costs for employees who are able to walk to work or ride bicycles, and have lower stress levels. This will often
reduce employers own costs for real estate as well. Suburban political leaders are better able to serve their constituencies if they can provide local jobs. For many reasons, locating a business in the suburbs
makes a lot of sense, is a more ethical choice than urban locations in the current market, and makes good business sense. Until the distribution of employment between urban and suburban or rural locations is
much better balanced out, at least.
It is therefore incumbent upon both employers and employees to do their utmost to locate reasonably close to the place where they meet and become a team if they are to succeed in their highest duty of Earth
Stewardship. The best part is, adhering to these principles amount to greater chances of success for employers, AND employees and their families. Doing your moral duty in this case is better for everyone.
Unfortunately, in modern times these principles appear to have been largely ignored, perhaps because of fears by the wealthy of allowing the "middle class" to gain too much wealth and autonomy. This is a
shame, because a strong and successful middle class ensures a confident and sustainable market for business' products and services. It is up to Earth Stewards to bring the forefront of modern business ethics
and general employment market understanding.
This need also leaves the door wide open to successes for job placement services that keep these principles in central focus in their standards of practice.
I am absolutely convinced that were a modern day renaissance to take place in the U.S. employment culture, energy economy, and domestic manufaturing economy, these principles will be absolutely
essential.
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