Get Around Greener

Making meaningful changes to your daily travel can help to address climate change while improving your life, too.

Doing everyday journeys without a car can have a greater impact than you might think. Even a short drive can significantly add to traffic congestion and pollution. Not only that but it wastes fuel, adds wear to your car and can leave you feeling stressed and tired.

There are lots of ways to avoid the car. Walking or riding a bicycle are great ways to stay healthy and avoid the expense of driving while also minimizing your carbon footprint. For longer journeys, taking the bus, train, or using a carpool can minimize pollution while also taking the stress out of the trip (you don’t have to worry about road dangers and parking, and can pass the time with an activity you enjoy like reading). And if a personal car is essential, you can always switch to using an electric or hybrid vehicle.

However you choose to do it, making changes to the way you get around can cut your emissions, improve your neighborhood and leave you feeling healthier and happier.

tips

Have a think about shorter trips you take by car on a regular basis and decide if you can replace them by bicycle or walking. If you want to cycle but don’t already have a bike, consider buying one second hand, or joining a bike share program.

If there are public buses and trains in your area, take just a few minutes to review the schedule online or in your mobile maps app. Talk to your neighbors, colleagues and friends to see if you can start a carpool or search for other ride-sharing opportunities online (some ride share companies even offer electric vehicle options).

If having a car is essential, consider joining the millions of people who are switching to electric and hybrid cars. They enjoy quiet rides, cleaner air and savings on fuel and maintenance without compromising on convenience. Read up on the difference between fully electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) cars and then find a new or used model that works for you, using guides like Green Cars or Electric for All in the US and EV Database in the EU.

benefits

Fewer gas and petrol cars on the road means less traffic and noise, and cleaner air for you and your family to breathe. Less cars also means there’s more room in your neighborhood for trees, plants and spaces for people to enjoy.

Walking and cycling are the cleanest ways to get around. There are many health benefits too - traveling by foot or bike can help you burn more calories, improve your fitness, strengthen bone health and even reduce the risk of depression.
Using electric vehicles, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation instead of cars could avoid up to 23 gigatons of emissions - that’s like turning off the world’s coal power plants for 2.3 years!

So the next time you pick up car keys - stop for a moment and think if there’s another way to take your journey. One simple change can make a big difference - for you, and your community. We’ll all feel better for it.

text reprinted with permission from Count Us In