Sharing the Commitment to Reduce Pollution: Ride-Sharing and Public Transportation

We all have to go places and often resort to our personal vehicles for convenience. A 2014 article from the Population Reference Bureau shows that the average driving time to work for Americans is 26 minutes, and that often, this drive occurs alone (Jarosz & Cortes, 2014). It goes on to share that less and less people are carpooling to work, suffering the psychological and physical stresses of driving to work on their own. On the bright side, it shares that from 2000 to 2010, the number of people riding their bike to work nearly doubled, although this only accounts for a minuscule percentage of commuters.

Unsplash.com. 2013, https://static.pexels.com/photos/31659/pexels-photo.jpg, licensed for personal and commercial use

Whether driving to work, to school, or to buy groceries, each mile we drive alone adds to the increasing carbon-dioxide pollution in our atmosphere. This, in turn, contributes to climate change, a slow and creeping process that's difficult to grasp unless you are experiencing some of its devastating effects directly. We can't stop commuting, but we can alter our habits to improve air quality and reduce pollution. Joining a van pool, a carpool, or even just picking up a friend or colleague before heading to your final destination removes another car from the road.

Want a some more motivation to carpool? In California, driving with a minimum of 2 people in a car allows you to take the carpool lane on freeways, helping you zip by traffic. Going somewhere with payed parking? Split the cost! That way you and your co-riders won't be forced to hand over your hard earned money to visit the same place. Going somewhere where parking is tough? One car is easier to park than two, especially when spaces are lacking! Better yet, use a ride-sharing app and split the ride with your friends. That way, you won't need to worry about who drives where and how you'll get back from a night out!

Unsplash.com, 2015, https://static.pexels.com/photos/5117/people-feet-train-travelling.jpeg, licensed for personal and commercial use

Thinking of taking an extra step? Hybrid and electric vehicles go one step further in removing pollutants from the atmosphere. These vehicles partly or wholly rely on electricity and other fuels which reduce overall pollution (Alternative Fuels Data Center, 2016). A chart on the above-cited source breaks down CO2-equivalent emissions by vehicle type per year: on average, electric-only vehicles produce 4587 pounds, plug-in hybrids release 6192 pounds, hybrids produce 6258 pounds, and gasoline-powered vehicles release 11435 pounds. Gasoline-powered vehicles emit nearly double what hybrids produce, and almost triple what electric-only vehicles emit!

Living in a city with a public transit system? Take the bus, train, or metro to your destination instead. Major cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles all have excellent public transit systems to take you all around the city. Just go on your computer or onto your phone and search transit routes using services like google maps to see what's nearby, and what the fastest way is to get to your destination. If you're not in a rush, taking public transit is a great way to reduce emissions!

The Port of Authority, 2012, San Diego Trolley Routes,

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/San_Diego_Trolley_September_2012.svg/1000px-San_Diego_Trolley_September_2012.svg.png, licensed for personal and commercial free use

Ride sharing is an excellent way to decrease your carbon footprint, and committing to reducing your environmental impacts through small changes makes a big difference in the long run. Tell your family, friends, and coworkers that it's time to take the climate into your own hands and directly contribute to protecting it.