Commuting-an obstacle for suburban permies

Suburbanites often have the greatest commutes.  Many people buy a house, as a way of building equity.  Values sure have gone up in many areas, so much that we are having a huge homeless problem.  Now there are many homeless people in the suburbs.  One problem is that people buy a house, then get a better, or different job on the other side of the metro area.  Social scientists looking at this phenomenon describe it as one of the greatest obstacles to personal happiness.  Inching forward in traffic for hours creating lots of pollution is neither fun nor meaningful.  Becoming more sustainable in the suburbs requires decreasing commutes.  Of course, you could just yell at people and tell them to only take a job near their house.  Obviously, it's hard to take a big pay cut for a less interesting job with nobody you know just because it's near your house.  What are some ways that suburban permies can decrease the ecological impacts of their commutes?

John S
PDX OR

I cannot wait to hear some ideas on this, because this is a big factor in my family life. My husband commutes almost an hour and a half to work, so that he can drive an 18-wheeler for ten to twelve hours, and then drives home for an hour and half again.

This absolutely scrambles my mind, and I make comments on this to him--frequently!

Getting a local job is what I see as the best possible decision, but not all people see it this way, as you have pointed out, including my dear husband.  Our family will be pretty dependent on a certain dollar amount of wages until our household isn't so dependent upon federal currency to provide its needs--if we make changes to our lifestyle through homesteading, foraging, radical alterations in energy consumption, etc.--the purchasing power of a dollar won't matter so much to us, and he could have a part time job, in town. That's another reason why I want to buy a homestead place so much!  

Yes, I think a combo of approaches brings the most improvement. When I had a long commute, I would often stop by a store that I needed to pick something up at on the way home. Then I didn't have to get home, go right back out and spend even more time in my car.  Having a cheap reliable car decreases costs.  Electric car will decrease mileage costs, but not necessarily car cost. I am a substitute teacher, so I can choose different, closer places to work now.    I have found some schools where I can take a commuter train out in the morning when it's dark and cold, and come back on bicycle in the afternoon when it is light and warmer. The route is beautiful, along a park and streams.   Car pooling is certainly a lot better for the pocketbook and the environment than driving alone.  I also got a folding bike, so if it is on a bus route, I can fold it up and bring it on the bus.  I would much rather read on mass transit and relax than inch along in traffic, wearing out my nerves and my car while polluting heavily.  Suburban permies often have great mass transit available.  I know I do in Portland.

John S
PDX OR