7 Ways To Reduce Your Commute Carbon Footprint

People are getting so used to doing what harms the environment knowingly or unknowingly and turning a blind eye to how these bad habits hurt nature. It can be plastic use, meat consumption, improper waste disposal, etc. You might not even notice how your daily commuting generates a carbon footprint contributing to climate change.

In most cases, you need a vehicle for travelling, whether for work or pleasure or just to run an errand. While cars provide maximum convenience to people, they might not be the best option for the environment. Most cars use fuel, and as they run, they produce gases that can harm the environment, such as carbon dioxide. The air pollution caused by vehicles accelerates global warming.

A healthy environment leads to good quality of life. To take care of it, one thing you can do is become conscious of your carbon footprint when relying on vehicle use. Below are some ways to reduce your commute carbon footprint:

• Consider Skateboarding

Try street skateboarding to get to your destination conveniently in a short time. While you might need some constant practice to get used to it, skateboarding will give you an easy and hassle-free ride once you get comfortable using it.

Today, electric skateboards are taking off. They let a rider control speed quickly and may have different modes for beginner, average, and expert users. What’s best, e-skateboards don’t pump out smoke and emit carbon dioxide like gas-powered vehicles.

Whether you choose the regular or e-skateboard, riding one counts for physical exercise, improving your balance and fitness. It can tone your muscles, strengthen your cardio, and improve your coordination, especially when doing stunts.

You don’t have to worry about securing and paying for a parking space when doing quick errands because you can conveniently carry it with you. Skateboarding allows you to be creative with your board when you poke around for colors and designs you can mix and match. Overall, it’s a fun and eco-friendly way to travel.

• Ride A Bike

Riding a bike is one of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint as it only uses minimal fossil fuel. With bicycles, you only need your limbs to control the handlebars and crank the pedals. Bikes are slower than motor vehicles, but riding can take you to your desired destination faster than walking.

If you’re interested in modern alternatives, consider researching a battery-powered bikes. These are eco-friendly as they use rechargeable batteries, emit no direct emissions, and require less energy than cars, with the added advantage of powered assistance for longer distances or hilly terrains.

A bicycle doesn’t require fuel, so it releases no carbon emissions. It only needs a lubricant for its bushings and bearings, especially the chain, to keep it up and running. As the rider, you’ll need food for energy to drive it. If you have a healthy diet and use green oil for upkeep, you would really be significantly reducing your carbon footprint.

• Try Walking

If you only need to go somewhere a few blocks away, consider walking instead. This can be the best way to reduce your carbon footprint while providing your body with the necessary exercise.

Walking has many benefits for the body and the environment. It helps increase one’s energy levels, improve muscle endurance, strengthen bones, and maintain a healthy weight among others. According to a University of Oxford study titled Physical Activity Through Sustainable Transport Approaches, active transport, which includes walking, lowers carbon footprint significantly. It could cut as much as a quarter of personal carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated through transport.

• Switch To An Electric Car

If you have a car, consider converting it to electric. While this might be out of your budget, electric-powered cars are eco-friendlier and more cost-efficient over time.

Unlike a gas car, a fully electric vehicle uses a rechargeable battery and an electric motor. Generally, EVs don’t have an internal combustion engine, which uses fuel to work, so EVs produce little to no tailpipe emissions. Hybrid models have a gas backup, but ultimately, EVs don’t use fuel as much as gas cars.

What makes an EV a better option than a gas car is that you can charge it using green energy sources, such as solar power. Electricity for cars can be produced using renewable energy sources and sustainable methods. You’re sure, then, that your electric bill won’t increase significantly when you charge your EV overnight at home.

• Use Public Transportation

Consider using public transportation, such as buses or subway trains. It’s a means of transportation that only uses the same route and will go back and forth no matter how many passengers it serves.

Compared to using your car or hiring a cab, travelling by public transit has been shown to produce lesser emissions and use lesser energy compared to private cars. Therefore, using it won’t contribute to your carbon footprint as much as driving a private car would.

• Consider Using A Ride-Sharing App

Because public transportation can get crowded, it’s understandable if you’re not entirely comfortable with regularly using it. If you’re looking for another eco-friendly way to travel to reduce your commute carbon footprint, consider using a ride-sharing app. You’ll be sharing a vehicle with only one or two people who will, more or less, take the same route as you.

Two separate cars will produce twice the emissions and take up more road space. So, ride-sharing will help you save on gas, reduce carbon emissions, and ease vehicle traffic.

• Ask For Remote Work

If you usually report to the office for work, consider asking to be reassigned remotely. This request usually requires careful deliberation by your employer, and you may not receive a positive response, but if you do, this will surely help you reduce your carbon footprint.

Remote work setup allows you to work conveniently in the comforts of your own home. You don’t have to go out and use a vehicle that gives off harmful emissions to the environment. It’ll be more cost-effective, too as you don’t have to spend a dime on commuting.

If your work requires you to do on-site duties, consider proposing the switch to a hybrid setup to your company, wherein you can work from home a few days a week and report back to the office for one to two days.

Takeaway

There are plenty of ways you can reduce your commute carbon footprint. While some might be a bit out of your league or require extra effort, the benefits they will bring to your body and the environment will be worth it.

With a firm decision and constant practice, you’ll get the hang of riding a skateboard and/or bike, walking, using public transportation, and other eco-friendly commuting methods and good habits.