Topic: Have you ever thought about using public transportation? Why? Or Why not?

Global warming, climate change, and the growing of endangered species have let everyone start to see the value and importance of environment. We all have seen ads and posters regarding with environmental protection. We recognize changes around our life: “Going green” becomes the new slogan for many major corporations like Google, Wal-Mart, and General Motor. People start to drive hybrid vehicles, their replace dishwasher, their refrigerator, and oven with energy sufficient product, and recycle reusable products such as plastic bottle and even cell phones. Taking public transportation instead of driving is another good way to protect the environment, because it can reduce the amount of greenhouse gas we produce daily. However, for us who live in California, and especially in a city like Los Angles where you are made famous by “highway” or “traffic”, switching to public transportation becomes nearly impossible, and here is why.
The concepts of using public transportation for our daily life affairs are not developed into residences’ cultural norm. During the summer I traveled to Boston, and on the airplane I met a guy name Jim. Jim has just graduated from Harvard University undergraduate program, and now attending UCLA for his graduate degree. The thing I remembered the most about Jim was not where he went to school or how impressive his brain looks like, but what he said to me on the plane. I asked him, “What is the biggest difference when you compare Boston with Los Angles?” He thought about the question for a minute and said,“ they are two very different cities. In Boston, public transportation actually work” He gave me a big smile. “But in Los Angles, it is impossible live without a car.” And that is true.
Public transportation system contains: bus, train, subway, and ship. Boston city have all of them, and there are stations everywhere you go. There are subways underground from the airport all the way to Downtown, there are train track in the middle of every freeway, and there are ships traveling on the Charles River. It does not matter weather you are trying to go to downtown for a dinner with friends or going to a shopping mall to buy some new cloth, public transportation is always the best choice for the local residence.
I live in Arcadia-a city that is about twenty miles from downtown Los Angles; bus is the only public transportation that is available in this city. Unlike Boston, if you just missed a bus, you will have to wait for a long time. Moreover, the stations are poorly constructed. There is neither bench nor sunshield but a sign that tell you which stops here, and that is all. With such poorly managed public transportation system it leads you to believe that that Metro (the company) does not care weather you are going to use it or not. And maybe that is why you always see the bus running almost empty.
In short, I agree switching to public transportation is a great way to minimize the amount of carbon dioxide we produce. However, with such indisposed system, for lots of people like me who live in Los Angles, the idea of taking public transportation for completing daily affairs becomes impossible.