Eco-Friendly Efforts: How To Make Your Commute To Work More Sustainable
Sustainability is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. From individuals to businesses, we are all finally doing our part to make more eco-friendly choices and reduce waste and CO2 production. When making the effort to be more sustainable, it is important to look at the daily activities we have to take part in. Most of the population today has to commute to their workplace, which involves a lot of CO2 production. Now, governments and businesses have combined to create sustainable transport options for the masses of people who need to get to their workplaces.
Taking the necessary steps to get to school, work, and any other location is essential for your daily routine, but why not make the change to be more sustainable? In this blog post, we will share some of the most sustainable transport options to consider for your journey into work. Some may not be available to you, but there is always a small way to improve the effect that your journey to work has on the environment.
Walk or cycle to your work!
First things first, let’s cover the basics. Much of the population has chosen to walk or cycle to work as a means to get more daily exercise in and also to save money on transport costs. You can positively affect the environment by cycling or walking to work. Assuming that your place of work is not 30 miles away or is only accessible by busy motorways, there is always the option to get those legs moving or incest in a good bike. What’s more, so many companies across the UK are now participating in bike schemes that allow for discounts on cycling gear, including the bike itself! Speak with your place of work and present the idea of joining these programs to save money on your biking, and also have a designated bike parking station if they do not already. 0 emission commuting has never felt so good!
Utilise the public transport in your area
Let’s get one thing straight. Yes, public transport can still produce certain levels of CO2, but it is significantly lower than if you were to drive back and forth to work daily. The bus is estimated to emit 96 g of CO2, which is significantly lower than the 170g of Co2 that a petrol car emits. Assuming that you do not live in a rural area, there are hundreds of new transport options for people across the country, so take a look at what is available near you. From buses to undergrounds to urban rails, choosing to use public transport daily to get to work will significantly reduce the carbon construction your journey makes.
Go electric
Electric is the way to go. If you can’t part with your morning sing-along to the radio in your car on the way to work, why not go electric? Electric cars are everywhere today, and the top vehicle brands, such as Mercedes and Ford, are now focusing their production on electric vehicles. If you work near a major city such as London, you have likely encountered the congestion charges that CO2-emitting cars face. As electric cars are zero-emission, you can avoid any additional charges when driving in these monitored areas! Also, road tax for electric cars has become significantly lower to incentivise more people onto electric cars. It’s a win-win for you and the environment!
Mix up your transport route.
Let’s say your bus does not take you close enough to your workplace, or your bike journey is too long to make it to work on time. What now? Well, you can consider combining the transport methods you take. If, for example, you work in the city, but the train takes you a 40-minute walk from your office, you might combine this with using your bike or even renting the big-wheeled scooters that many cities now have today. You can ride freely in the cycle lines that are now available and make it work right on time and carbon-free.
Carpool with coworkers
As mentioned, driving produces a large volume of CO2, which should ideally be avoided. But, if you have no other option, why not carpool with colleagues or neighbours who commute the same way to work? This is also a reliable way to cut the transport cost between you and your commuting partner.
Ask for hybrid working.
Finally, another great way to reduce carbon emissions is to ask for hybrid working! Hybrid working is exactly what you make it. For example, if you work from home two days a week, you eliminate the need for transport entirely. Also, sitting in traffic can also increase the levels of CO2 you emit, therefore you might consider starting and finishing work outside of rush hour times. For example, you might be at work at 8 AM and commute between 7 and 8. When finishing, you get to commute between 4 and 5 to miss the crazy rush of people trying to get home! Sitting in traffic, on average, takes up 43 hours of our lives a year and emits 247 pounds of CO2 during this time! Avoid the hassle, avoid excessive Co2 production, and switch up your working times.
Bottom line
Overall, making your commute to work more sustainable would greatly serve the environment. Action needs to be taken now if we hope to see a greener, healthier future. Consider using public transport, cycling, or combining your options to save as much money and CO2 as possible.
