Are electric vehicles a little out of your budget? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! While the cost has dramatically decreased in recent years, it’s not exactly accessible for the majority. So, when you hear the phrase ‘sustainable transport,’ don’t start thinking that you must invest thousands in order to travel eco this summer. As always, we’ve got all the tools you need to save money and protect the environment. Take a look at sustainable transport methods that you can utilise.
Making the most of your bike is sustainable transport
42% of people in the UK own a bicycle or have access to one. There are also thousands of companies and businesses that provide cycle-to-work schemes. Thankfully in a lot of built-up towns, you can rent a bike for less than a taxi. There’s never been more opportunity to cycle – yet research shows just 6% of us cycle to work.
Of course, there are factors that prevent this. Some people commute into the office in a car which can take 1 hour – there’s no chance of cycling that. But there are plenty of commuting situations where there is the chance to cycle. If you drive to a train station, and then travel into a city – why not cycle to the station instead? You can lock your bike up for free at the station too – so that’ll save you a lot on parking.
If you only drive for 15-30 minutes to get to work and you have access to a bike. We really urge you to start using it. You’ll save a lot of money on fuel costs and become much fitter. It doesn’t need to be every day. Even cycling in once a week can do wonders for your health and the environment.
Utilising public transport where possible
Now, before you get all frustrated at the idea of using public transport – we know, it isn’t always 100% reliable and can be expensive. So when it comes to going to work, we understand the reluctance to use it. But when you’ve got all Saturday to go to the shops – why not jump on a bus or even an electrical scooter?
The average car journey in the UK is just over 8 miles and for the duration (taking into consideration traffic) it’s roughly 21 minutes. That’s an additional 4.2kg CO2e on your carbon footprint. The same as 1kg of plastic bottles made from virgin material and sent to landfill after being used.
So, if you’re big on reducing your plastic consumption but haven’t considered cycling those 8 miles or jumping on a bus for 20 minutes – we urge you to consider this new method of reducing your impact on the environment. Plus, for the younger generation, there are plenty of discount schemes available to make public transport more affordable.
Going for long walks
Walking is incredibly underrated. As a society, we’re often rushing from one place to the next. Trying to get things done in a brief period, and as a result – we use our cars a lot. We think it’s possible to dramatically reduce the use of our cars if we just gave a little more time to ourselves. It isn’t always possible during the week with school, work, evening clubs and social commitments. But at the weekend… that’s when we need to utilise walking.
It could be walking to a friend’s house for a BBQ. Walking the dog along a new route which means you can leave the car at home. You may even walk to the shops (not just the corner shop!). If you’ve got the time, walk as much as possible during the weekend.
Sustainable transport isn’t all electric vehicles and large investments. Sustainable means something that isn’t going to have a substantial impact on the plant, and transport can be anything you use to get from A to B – even your legs. Don’t fret over the finer details. Just make sure that whenever you get the chance you’re travelling sustainably. It will massively reduce your carbon footprint.
