Avoiding hours lost in soul-sucking traffic isn’t the only reason you may want to rethink your daily commute. Transportation is now the biggest source of U.S. carbon emissions, with 80% of total pollution coming from automobiles. As someone who cares about Mother Earth, you can do something about the huge impact your ride is making on the planet. Here are our top tips on how to be an eco-conscious commuter.
Ride a Bicycle: If you live close enough to your job and are able-bodied, then consider cycling to work (and around town). Strap on a helmet and pat yourself on the back, because if you ride to work every day of the week for 50 weeks, you could save 3.46 tons of CO2 emissions.
Get on the Rail: Surprisingly, if you take a commuter rail during peak hours every day of the week for 50 weeks in an urban environment like New York City, you’ll save a whopping 3.16 tons of carbon emissions. We realize, however, that not everyone lives close to a big city with access to great public transportation. But given the trends of the future, including zero-emissions, all-electric buses coming soon to many locations, public transportation may soon arrive at your doorstep (or close to it!).
Carpool: If you drive to work, make sure to share a ride, when possible. If you Uber, use Uber Pool, which pairs you with other riders going in the same direction. Daily carpooling with at least one other passenger will save 1.9 tons of emissions per year.
Go Electric: No matter how you look at it, electric cars trump gas-fueled cars in lowering emissions. Even if coal energy is used to power them and their manufacturing footprint is larger, electric vehicles, especially the smaller models, offer a far greener drive. Keep this info top of mind when buying your next car.
Walk This Way: In good weather, if you’re mobile, why not try walking? The fresh air and a bit of exercise do wonders for your mental and physical state and walking is clearly is a zero-carbon activity. It’s a win-win-win!
Purchase Terrapass Carbon Offsets: If you’re left with no other choice than to drive your gas-guzzling vehicle to work or take a flight to head office, do so with a clear conscious by purchasing carbon offsets from Terrapass.
Collect other sustainable lifestyle tips and stay on top of global climate issues by connecting to the Terrapass Footprint Blog. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook, where we’re always sharing tips and information on living in eco-friendly style.
Brought to you by terrapass.com
Sources:
https://www.treehugger.com/cars/electric-cars-are-greener-gas-literally-everywhere.html
https://terrapass.com/product/ecotourist-bundle
