Transportation | Travel
Trying to go about our daily lives or plan for vacations can raise questions on how green our transport methods are. I decided to do a little digging to see how the various travel methods stack up.
Here are some tips for getting around locally:
If time is not limited, walking is the very best mode of transportation of all!
If you have safe bike paths, it is great to bike to your destination.
If you are fortunate enough to live in an area with access to public transit on buses, trains or subways, all are great green options.
If you are like most of us and need a vehicle to get around, consider selecting an electric or a hybrid car. There are tradeoffs here, but overall they are deemed to be the greenest option.
Carpool! Great way to get cars off the road and reduce your carbon footprint.
Don’t actually need a car much? Try Ridesharing services.
Car subscriptions are sprouting up in larger cities which offer flexibility without the longterm commitment. Currently this option remains too costly to justify for the average person, but will hopefully be more affordable in the future.
Transportation Methods How Do They Compare? Car | Plane | Train | Bus
I complied this rating order for greenest travel after researching the various modes. Keep in mind there are tipping points which can shift one from being more green than another.
GREENEST TRAVEL AWARD
1st Place: Bus - considerably better than a hybrid - obviously limited to land travel.
2nd Place: Train - great green choice for trips under 1,000 miles.
3rd Place: Automobile - opt for electric or hybrid.
4th Place: Plane - Fly coach, non-stop flights.
Travel | Vacation - Go Green:
Ecotourism is becoming more mainstream - when traveling look for an eco-friendly resort.
Explore nearby - instead of jet setting to far away places take in the beauty that is close to home and vacation nearby.
When traveling skip the rental car and opt for public transit and Ridesharing when needed.
Staycation. It may say silly, but some of our best memories were on our no-stress vacations when we stayed home and did day trips to the surrounding areas…nothing like sleeping in your own bed each night!
ARTICLES | RESOURCES
‘Greenest’ New Cars For 2019 | Jim Gorzelany | Forbes | February 5th, 2019
The greenest transport from A to B | Lori Robertson | BBC Travel | May 16th, 2012
The True Cost of Powering an Electric Car | Edmunds | March 6th, 2019
This Graphic Maps the Greenest Modes of Transportation | National Geographic
What Is the Most Eco-Friendly Way to Travel? | Wanderu
What’s the greenest way to travel? | Ask Umbra | Grist | March 16th, 2015