Using Public Transportation Can Help You Be Green

Help Preserve Energy Reserves The most obvious statement that can be made about the eco-friendly decision to take public transportation is that you will be helping to preserve natural energy reserves.  This country – and this world – burn through such reserves far too quickly and this can be a great way to do your part to stop that trend.  However, that is certainly not the only good that can come from riding the bus, train, or subway.

Cut Toxins Released into the Air Though it may not always be the first motive to push people toward public transportation, the person that rides the bus, train, or rail cannot help but lessen his or her global footprint.  The more people that opt for these modes of transportation, the fewer cars, trucks, and vans are on the road.  Did you know that the average lightweight truck puts off a whopping 108 pounds of hydrocarbon each year and more than 850 pounds of carbon monoxide?  If that isn’t bad enough, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by that same vehicle in one year is more than 16,000 pounds.  One can quickly see how the environment is positively affected each time a person opts to ride the bus.

Save Money, Time, and Even Water It’s not just the environment that you will be helping to save by choosing to use public transportation.  By not buying gas for your vehicle, you will immediately see tremendous cash savings.  You will also cut down on wear and tear on your car, truck, or van.  If you can go without an automobile all together, there will be no more loans, no more insurance, and no more parking fees.  Imagine how fast that money can add up.  Are you having trouble imagining that?  Well, think about this.  If you drive a mid-size car, drive twenty miles per day, and gas costs $3.00 per gallon, then you would spend just shy of one thousand dollars per year on commuting.  However, if public transportation costs three dollars per day, then you would be spending just seven hundred twenty dollars per year.  That is a savings of more than two hundred and fifty dollars per year right there.  It is estimated that the average person could save more than five thousand dollars per year by living with one less vehicle per household.

While money is great, time is also important.  It may seem that public transportation cuts time out of your day, but think of all that you can get done while riding the train or bus.  Bring along your smartphone or laptop and you can do just about anything anymore.  Or, you could tuck all of that away in your bag and take those few extra minutes and have some time to yourself.  Read a book while you ride, call a friend to chat, or just listen to some of your favorite music on headphones.

Ok, water might seem an odd thing to consider when talking about transportation, but not driving a car actually does save water.  Consider the fact that the average water used at the most efficient car washes is nearly eight gallons per car.  Even if you went to those carwashes – costing over ten dollars per wash (usually far more) – only once per month, that would still be one hundred twenty dollars and nearly one hundred gallons of water lost.  Most carwashes, however, use far more water per car washed.  Averages are actually closer to thirty gallons per car, which would push your water usage to more than three hundred fifty gallons per year.  That means one hundred people are using more than thirty-five thousand gallons of water per year just to keep their cars clean.

Worried About the Cleanliness Factor? Many argue that there are certain times of year when it is best to avoid public places and that all forms of public transportation are littered with germs and sick people.  Though this may be true to some extent, there are ways to take advantage of the savings, be more eco-friendly, and avoid spending all winter sick in bed.  Winter is also a time for scarves and gloves, so you can feel comfortable wearing your gloves to protect your hands from picking up some unwanted illness.  You can even cover your mouth and nose with a scarf if a nearby rider is all for sharing during cold season in order to help defend your own immune system.  Finally, head to the drug store before your next commute and pick up a bottle of hand sanitizer, as well as a bottle of multi-vitamins high in Vitamin C.  The hand sanitizer doesn’t require water to use, so if you accidently touch a possibly infected surface, you can simply pull the bottle from your pocket and give yourself peace of mind.  The multi-vitamin, especially Vitamin C, is great for defending against illness any time of year.