Five Alternatives to Driving to Work
For those that want to be more eco-friendly or for those that are simply sick of fighting their way through rush hour traffic, there are many great alternatives to taking to the wheel. Here is a list of five ways to keep that car parked.
Carpool This is the most obvious and widely accessible alternative to driving your own car each and every day. Carpooling can save a person a tremendous amount of money, time, and, of course, can also help preserve the planet. The amount of money saved in gas alone can be cut in half, in third, or even by three-quarters if one can find another person, two, or a group to ride with each day. This allows for better and easier communication with co-workers, can provide the opportunity to impress the boss, or can simply allow an individual a little extra time to read the paper or take a nap.
Regardless of your reasoning, deciding to ride with others rather than taking out your car each and every day will make you a more environmentally responsible person. For each gallon of gas a car burns, it puts off twenty pounds of carbon emission. That means that riding with three other co-workers each day can save this planet approximately one hundred-twenty pounds of pollution per day (assuming that each person is commuting twenty miles one way and gets approximately twenty miles to the gallon). However, even if these numbers are not accurate in your situation, every little bit helps when we are talking about saving the world for ourselves, for our children, and for all generations to come.
Take the Bus There are so many advantages to travelling by bus, rather than hopping behind the wheel yet again. It is cost effective to travel in this manner, for one thing. Travelling by bus can save a person thousands of dollars over a year’s time when one stops to consider the cost of gas, the cost of oil changes and other regular maintenance, and the cost of parking. This will also provide you the opportunity to flip through a newspaper, magazine, good book, or new client file before yet another day begins at the office. You might also find that public transportation has another advantage.
Many buses can transport thirty, fifty, even one hundred people at a time. That means that you have twenty-nine, forty-nine, even ninety-nine chances to make a friend or a new work connection each and every time you ride. By opting to drive, you are erasing all of this possibility to meet someone that could further your career, buy large quantities of whatever you happen to be selling, or even someone that wants to share in your next summertime barbeque.
Ride a Bike At the same time millions of people today are trying to maintain a “green” mindset, they are also in a continual struggle to lose weight and stay in shape. It is often hard to find the time to exercise today, and even more difficult to stay in shape in a setting where one is sedentary for most of the with access to vending machine snacks.
So, why not take care of two problems with a single solution. One of the very best ways to cut down the size of your global footprint is to reduce the amount of driving you do. So, why not leave the car and take the bike? For those that are within a reasonable distance from work, this can be a great way to squeeze in a workout, lose some of those excess pounds, and feel good about what they are doing for the planet. If you have trouble riding a traditional bicycle, consider an incumbent bike, which allows the rider to sit more like he or she would in a regular chair, thereby taking the pressure off arms, shoulders and upper back. If you are just not one for exercise, perhaps you would be better suited to ride an electric scooter or motorcycle, both of which produce less pollution.
Telecommute Many people in a search for alternative forms of transportation overlook one obvious solution – work from home. Working from home does not have to mean creating your own business from scratch. Given the option, many employers would be more than willing to allow employees to do some or all of their work from home.
New forms of communication make it easier than ever for a person to maintain the same connections and complete many, if not all, of the daily tasks that he or she would normally do at the office, right from the comfort of his or her home. Calls can be forwarded, emails are universally accessible, and desktops can be tied together so all files are accessible from home or the office. This can be a very beneficial option for those looking to be green as well as those who are looking for a little less commute and a little more freedom.