"Getting There" - Going The Green Way

With all the buzz about saving the planet, we’re certainly hypocrites when it comes to “going green” when we travel. 

We’ve banned plastic bags but feel smug as we drive away from the store with our reusable bags in our SUV, getting 20 miles to the gallon.  We pay taxes for school buses, but still chauffeur our kids to school.  We’re in denial and reluctant to change our selfish habits.

Transportation creates one-third of all greenhouse gases in the US.  So if you’re serious about “getting there” and doing it with minimum impact (and cost) to the environment (and your wallet), consider these ideas:

Live Closer To Work:       If we didn’t have to travel an hour to get to and from our jobs, the savings would be immense.  Of course, this assumes we can find affordable housing… another topic altogether.  But if you’re house-shopping, factor in transportation time and expense into the “total cost of ownership”.

Work From Home:           It works during a pandemic, so why not do it during the rest of the year?  You’ll save on harmful engine emissions and money for gas or train fare.

Car Pool:         Even if just occasionally, try sharing the ride to work or the airport.  Check out www.CTrides.com,  www.metropool.com or www.rideshare.com, which can help you find someone to share the ride. 

Try A Bike:   For local trips in good weather, the exercise will do you good.  And if you bike to or from the train station you can chuckle as you skip the six-year waiting line for a $400 annual station car parking permit.  Not enough bike racks at the station?  Call town hall and demand they spend that parking money on this simple, green amenity.

Go Electric:    If you must drive, consider an all-electric or hybrid car.  You’ll save 50 -100% on gasoline, create far less pollution and still have room for Fido and the kids.

Take The Bus:    Our region’s bus service is improving and is increasingly popular.  “The Coastal Link” bus from Milford to Norwalk along Rt. 1 runs seven days a week and costs only $1.75 (vs. $4.50 on Metro-North).  And the “I-Bus” from Stamford and Greenwich to White Plains still costs only $3.20.  

Put Your Kids on the School Bus:    Your tax dollars pay for them, so why do so many parents insist on driving their kids to school each morning in “the SUV parade”?  What are we teaching our kids about avoiding mass transit?

Walk:     Health officials say Manhattan dwellers are healthier than their suburban counterparts because they walk so much.  Cars offer convenience, but going to the store for a quart of milk doesn’t have to involve moving two tons of steel.

 Take The Train:   Commuter rail is the most fuel efficient transportation alternative, far better than even the bus.  On longer journeys, an Amtrak Acela uses a third less fuel per passenger than a jetliner and emits 3 times less CO2 .  And by train, you don’t have to take off your shoes (unless you want to) or enjoy a TSA-pat down on your way to the boarding lounge.

If You Must Drive, Plan Your Itinerary:    Don’t just drive roundtrip from home to the store.  Save up errands and plan multiple stops along the way.

Clearly, there are alternatives to the single-occupancy, gas guzzling automobile. What’s your energy-saving transportation tip?  Share it with us and we will include it in a future column.

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media