Last week, we experienced the first Spare the Air day of the year in the Bay Area. From the site, here is a brief definition:

"A Spare the Air day is a day forecast to have ozone levels high enough to exceed federal health-based standards... Area residents are asked to modify their behavior to help minimize pollution, and people who are sensitive to unhealthy air are advised to limit their time outdoors, particularly in the afternoon hours. Because ozone is a preventable pollutant, doing things like cutting back on driving and the use of other gasoline powered equipment can make a substantial difference in the amount of pollution that occurs."

To help reduce the number of folks driving to work, local public transit systems offer free transportation from four to nine in the morning for the first five Spare the Air days of the year. I took them up on their offer and rode Caltrain to work (a $5 value) last week. If I'm able to take full advantage of the "free ride" days, I'll save $25, which is approximately seven grande green tea frappuccinos.

Unfortunately, I didn't notice an increase in ridership, which was rather disappointing, but I hope the word spreads before the next Spare the Air day. It would be nice to see more people using mass transit. Of course, if that happens, they will probably discontinue the incentive program. But until that happens, count me in.