Pains, Trains, And Automobiles

Keep the car parked--experts say gridlock is harmful to mental health (that's right, another reason to visit the eco-shrink). Perhaps it is mental anguish (or the pain of high fuel costs) that's driving Americans to consider public transportation. According to Time, bus and train ridership has reached record levels. Amtrak reports that its ridership has risen 12.3 percent since last year. What would it take to convince more people to embrace the train? Sierra contributor Bill McKibben advocates Theodore Kheel's radical proposal:  charge automobile drivers entering Manhattan and use the revenue to fund free subway and bus rides for all New Yorkers. 

--D.W.

Sources:  Time, New York Times, Plenty, L.A. Times