Tell Them I Gave At The Office!

Aren’t we already being environmentally conscious by riding mass transit in the first place? I’d argue yes:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is planning a hefty fare increase, but it thinks that some environmentally conscious riders might want to voluntarily pay even more for the privilege of riding on a crowded train or bus.

The authority said on Thursday that it was considering a “green MetroCard” program that would let riders make donations to help pay for making its operations more environmentally sustainable. The program would also apply to commuter rail tickets and E-ZPasses.

The idea was among dozens of proposals in a $1 million report by a commission appointed by the authority to recommend ways to lessen the adverse environmental impact of its operations.

Under the program, whose details are still being developed, riders buying MetroCards or commuter rail tickets at station vending machines could tack on an extra charge in the form of a tax-deductible contribution for green projects, said Ernest Tollerson, the authority’s policy director.