So, What Have You Done to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint?
From the Editor: This is a guest article by Aaron Garcia
While I think most of us have become painfully aware through the media, or through personal experience of the changing weather patterns, of things like global warming and melting polar ice caps, we have probably never regarded ourselves as being able to do something about it. That is the terrain of politicians, governments and national decision makers.
Not so. Each of us, by making some simple changes in our lifestyle choices and our awareness of our environment, can make an impact. Just think, in a population as big as ours, what that cumulative impact for good could be.
Where do I begin? Well, besides the initiatives at home with things like the recycling of waste products, you could look at your transport choices. I know we travel long distances in the US and the freedom to use our own vehicles is great, but the impact on the environment of the carbon emissions from our personal vehicles is vast. One study that I read at treehugger blog indicated that if only one in five Americans changed to public transportation like buses, the savings would be greater than the combined emissions from all the chemical manufacturing and metal processing industries. That is enormous! Do you still believe you can't do anything on your own?
Add to those figures the savings on oil and America's reliance on foreign oil that would be saved if we took the initiative and used buses or charter coaches as our first choice in transportation, whether it be for shopping across town; for getting to a business conference or for traveling to a sporting event or holiday. Did you know (once again from the site above) that there are about 14 million Americans who use public transport daily? The oil saved in this way is enough to power 25% of all our homes in a year.
Most bus companies are just as aware of the environmental impact they are making and are also carefully considering the use of more environmentally friendly fuel alternatives such as bio-diesel fuel, diesel hybrids or even hydrogen. Each step in the right direction adds to what we can do to help our planet.
So, the next time someone asks you what you have done to reduce your carbon footprint, you can smile broadly and say, "I have decided to use the bus". You can be sure that your green contribution is making a difference.
About the Author: Aaron Garcia is a representative of Cardinal Buses, a motor coach rental company from Middlebury Indiana. He regularly writes about his travel experiences and the importance of staying safe when you travel.
