Snow day!

The mountain came down to Portland today and brought six inches of snow. I braved the morning commute on public transportation only to get stuck in traffic that at times left enough pause for our bus driver to get out and smoke a cigarette. (I could have used a beer then. Now will do.)

Thank Science, though, for alternative transportation.

The Portland aerial tram, in particular, came in handy today for a couple whose baby was scheduled for a heart transplant at OHSU. The parents couldn't make it up the hill to the hospital so the city allowed them to ride the tram up the hill and into surgery.

I heard this story from a construction manager who was leading a tour of the tram today. Bored at the office with no one to call, my editor and I decided to borrow a flexcar and drive to the waterfront to ride the tram -- not yet officially open to the public, it was open today due to the weather.

Conclusion: Public transportation lowers overall carbon emissions AND saves babies' lives.