Most people do not enjoy their daily commute to and from work. In fact, many hate it even more than wasting all day at a job when they could be out having fun and enjoying life. Of course, we all like having a roof over our heads and food on the table, so working is a necessary evil. But a long commute spent in gridlock each day is like adding insult to injury. Yes, we all have to work, but do we really have to give up additional time each day for the privilege of driving to and from a decent job? In addition to the hours of your life you’ll never get back and the high cost of fuel that’s eating away at your paycheck, there are also environmental concerns to consider. Every minute spent inching along the freeway equates to increasing greenhouse gas emissions that are fueling (pardon the pun) global warming. You may not be able to get out of commuting, but there are steps you can take to make the process more eco-friendly, taking at least one burden off your plate. Here are some options to consider.
Carpooling
The first conclusion many people come to is a carpool, and this is definitely more eco-friendly than driving yourself to work. By finding others in your company who live near you to commute with, everyone can benefit. Not only will you cut carbon emissions significantly when you consolidate your driving efforts, but it will also relieve the burden on each person to drive every day. If you can squeeze five people into a carpool (assuming everyone involved has a car that can accommodate this number of passengers) you can each drive just once a week. Supposing your commute takes an hour each way, this stands to net you 8 additional hours of free time each week that could be spent in correspondence, catching up on your sleep deficit, or pursuing leisure activities (reading, iPad games, etc.). In addition, everyone will save a ton of money on car-related expenses (including gas and maintenance).
Mass Transit
If carpooling isn’t for you, you might want to check out mass transit options, like trains and buses. These modes of transportation can provide for a cost-effective means of getting to and from work. With someone else at the wheel you can definitely get other stuff done (perhaps even some work so that you don’t have to stay late) and you might even approach your company about setting up some kind of discount program with the city so that employees can enjoy discount annual passes. Businesses that aren’t keen to shell out for company cars or executive services likelimo servicesmay still be inclined to offer rewards of some kind to employees willing to do their part to decrease roadway congestion and air pollution, so don’t hesitate to talk to your superiors about setting up an incentive program.
Telecommuting
If buses and trains aren’t an option, you may want to raise the idea of telecommuting. With advances in communications technology it is now easier than ever for a company to let employees work from home. Thanks to VPN (virtual private network) servers, video conferencing options, mobile solutions, and even programs that can record computer activity and take screenshots to let employers track work progress, many businesses are far more comfortable with the notion of allowing employees to manage their own time from home. It couldn’t hurt to ask, and it will definitely save you (and the environment) in all kinds of ways when it comes to your daily commute.
How do you commute? Have you tried some greener options? How is it working out?
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Comments
Eco-Friendly Commuting: What Are Some Options? — 21 Comments
Riding a bike is the ultimate form of transport to work. It provides exercise so you don’t have to do it later, it is heaps of fun, it’s virtually free, and you can do it all year round if you don’t mind the cold! It’s got no downsides at all.
Nice post. Thankfully this is not an issue that we have to deal with as we run our own business and pretty much everything can be done from home. We do a lot of our meetings via Skype which helps out.
Nice post. Thankfully this is not an issue that we have to deal with as we run our own business and pretty much everything can be done from home. We do a lot of our meetings via Skype which helps out.
My wife and I carpool now and before that I took public transport which worked very well. I have a few friends that actually ride their bicycles to work. I just live to far away for that.
We carpool too which works out really well. I used to walk but now I am also too far. I am looking into the bus though for winter. Not dealing with winter driving will be a nice stress relief.
I’m lucky that I don’t work very far from home so I can ride my bike 3 days a week. I feel more energized at the beginning of the day and I don’t have to set aside time for exercise – so even though it takes me about 15 minutes longer to ride than to drive, I save time by not having to work out.
That is perfect. I used to walk and loved it. Now I have to carpool. I do workout in the morning though so I can related to feeling energized before work.
I am very priviledged and can work from home quite a bit. When I need to be in the office I go on the bus – there are many buses that I can take and the journey takes 30 min (which gives me time to read). Sometimes I walk back or run (it is 4.5 miles). Tried to cycle and enjoyable as this is I am not good enough to do it safely.
You are a super star. It is great that you have so many different options. I know when I used to take the bus I found it very relaxing. I loved not having to worry about traffic.
I used to cycle to work too when I worked in the UK. I was lucky because I found the job before the house and was able to live quite close to work. I bought all the rain pants and gear to cycle even in winter, it was a cheap way to stay fit as well.
I wouldn’t mind cycling, as it’s only 12 miles. But it’s 12 miles without a bike path and inattentive drivers. Those kind of chances I can live without.
Biking doesn’t work everywhere that is for sure. It is a shame more cities aren’t set up with bike paths. What about taking the bus and walking part way?
Most people do not enjoy their daily commute to and from work. In fact, many hate it even more than wasting all day at a job when they could be out having fun and enjoying life. Of course, we all like having a roof over our heads and food on the table, so working is a necessary evil. But a long commute spent in gridlock each day is like adding insult to injury. Yes, we all have to work, but do we really have to give up additional time each day for the privilege of driving to and from a decent job? In addition to the hours of your life you’ll never get back and the high cost of fuel that’s eating away at your paycheck, there are also environmental concerns to consider. Every minute spent inching along the freeway equates to increasing greenhouse gas emissions that are fueling (pardon the pun) global warming. You may not be able to get out of commuting, but there are steps you can take to make the process more eco-friendly, taking at least one burden off your plate. Here are some options to consider.
Riding a bike is the ultimate form of transport to work. It provides exercise so you don’t have to do it later, it is heaps of fun, it’s virtually free, and you can do it all year round if you don’t mind the cold! It’s got no downsides at all.
You are right. It is very versatile. Even where I live where we get heavy snow, with snow tires and paved roads you can do quite well in winter.
Nice post. Thankfully this is not an issue that we have to deal with as we run our own business and pretty much everything can be done from home. We do a lot of our meetings via Skype which helps out.
Nice post. Thankfully this is not an issue that we have to deal with as we run our own business and pretty much everything can be done from home. We do a lot of our meetings via Skype which helps out.
That’s awesome. I hope to have the same situation one day.
My wife and I carpool now and before that I took public transport which worked very well. I have a few friends that actually ride their bicycles to work. I just live to far away for that.
We carpool too which works out really well. I used to walk but now I am also too far. I am looking into the bus though for winter. Not dealing with winter driving will be a nice stress relief.
I’m lucky that I don’t work very far from home so I can ride my bike 3 days a week. I feel more energized at the beginning of the day and I don’t have to set aside time for exercise – so even though it takes me about 15 minutes longer to ride than to drive, I save time by not having to work out.
That is perfect. I used to walk and loved it. Now I have to carpool. I do workout in the morning though so I can related to feeling energized before work.
It’s true. Many things that are green and healthy often save us money.
I take the train and telecommute on occasion (love that – no drive to the station and saved me money!)
That is awesome. I am working on a bus schedule.
I am very priviledged and can work from home quite a bit. When I need to be in the office I go on the bus – there are many buses that I can take and the journey takes 30 min (which gives me time to read). Sometimes I walk back or run (it is 4.5 miles). Tried to cycle and enjoyable as this is I am not good enough to do it safely.
You are a super star. It is great that you have so many different options. I know when I used to take the bus I found it very relaxing. I loved not having to worry about traffic.
I used to cycle to work too when I worked in the UK. I was lucky because I found the job before the house and was able to live quite close to work. I bought all the rain pants and gear to cycle even in winter, it was a cheap way to stay fit as well.
That is awesome. Do you still cycle? I used to be able to walk to work and I loved it. I did it 365 – even in our brutal winters.
I wouldn’t mind cycling, as it’s only 12 miles. But it’s 12 miles without a bike path and inattentive drivers. Those kind of chances I can live without.
Biking doesn’t work everywhere that is for sure. It is a shame more cities aren’t set up with bike paths. What about taking the bus and walking part way?
I walk or bike EVERYWHERE now from Mon-Fri now that I don’t have to go into work. I even try and take the bus sparingly now to get my exercise in!
S
That is awesome. I am very jealous. I wish I could do that. I bet you are feeling healthier because of it.
Wow, this is. It’s so great to see people try to find greener ways to change their lifestyle.