I recently read a post, about someone coming to the realization of how detrimental gas cars are to the environment. For a long time I have been a strong advocate for the environment, since I believe that it is our job to take care of the planet we live on. Especially since it is to our benefit that we take care of this planet.
It is no secret that cars are a large emitter of greenhouse gases, and throughout the years we have made some alternative solutions for cars. Most famously electric cars have been viewed as the ultimate solution to greenhouse gas emissions. With electric cars it becomes much more environmentally friendly to drive a car. The only issue with this is that electric cars are still out of the price range for a majority of people. This will likely change by 2025 since the EU passed a law stating that all new cars must be electric. This will drive down the price of older electric cars allowing lower income people to purchase one. Another change is that gas cars have become more efficient. This means that less gas is needed for the car to move. This severely cuts down on how much a person needs to spend on gas and on how much greenhouse gas is emitted from the car.
The other alternative that has been gaining traction is the improvement of public transportation such as; busses, trains, bikes, etc. Recently a lot of start up companies have been using this idea to make it more accessible to rent a scooter or bike by the hour. This cheap option is widely available all over the US. Some cities have also participated in this by sponsoring their own cheap bike rental system. Other places have also created a more frequent and accessible bus and train routes. Los Angeles for example has been building new railroads for the past decade in order to cut down on traffic, and to make cheap and efficient travel easier to access. This increase in public transportation, I believe, will be the most effective way to curb greenhouse gas emissions. This is also the most accessible path for people of any income bracket. Furthermore, it would be widely beneficial to people living in any place, since it makes travelling easier and it also creates more jobs.
Another alternative that has been widely used by anyone who has the service available to them is ridesharing. This startup idea disrupted the taxi market, by creating a wide pool of drivers for a low cost. While the business practices of these groups are questionable, it is also a way for people to lower their carbon footprint. By using this service people are often carpooling, allowing for multiple people to use a car instead of one. This lowers the overall emissions, and it gives people the ability of a more personalized route that public transportation would not be able to give.
Transportation is a large sector that is creating greenhouse gas emissions, but there are numerous ways that people can lower their carbon footprint. Whether it’s biking or carpooling there are a variety of options available to us in this day and age.
Here is the link to the post I read if you are interested:
Gemma: The New Girl in Town 