People are finally waking up to the fact that they need to live more sustainable lives. About fifty percent of paper waste in America gets recycled, which is the highest percentage since statistics were first collected. When people consider ways to lessen their impact on the environment they often think of their method of transportation. There are several ways to get where you are going, without having a huge impact on the environment, and people are beginning to use these methods more each day. Here are five green transportation options that are heavily used, and available to almost everyone:
Bicycles
Bicycles are one of the best options for green transportation, according to the bicycle safety advocates at Howell and Christmas . A “go green” company known as Tree Hugger voted New York City as the most cyclist friendly city in America. Over the past few years NYC has created segregated bike lanes to help cyclists get from place to place quickly and easily. Hopefully this trend will reach into cities across the country.
Energy Efficient Cars
From hybrid to electric cars, automobile companies are making great leaps in the green vehicle industry. The latest Mitsubishi electric car actually gets 112 miles per gallon (MPG). The car is extremely small, and susceptible to extensive damage if involved in an accident. If you happen to be traveling through South Carolina and are involved in an accident, it may be a good idea to have a Charleston car accident lawyer on standby. There are several larger vehicles that still get good gas mileage. The Toyota Prius is a four-door sedan and still manages to get fifty MPG.
Public Transit
Public transit is a method of transportation that can keep tons of carbon emissions out of the atmosphere. In 2011 alone, the New York City subway system provided around 1.64 billion rides. These rides prevent people from driving millions of additional miles via regular automobiles throughout the city, thus reducing the city’s carbon footprint exponentially.
Solar Powered Vehicles
In recent years, solar power has become a legitimate alternative to other power sources and innovative companies have created solar powered cars, boats, trains and even airplanes. The use of solar power may not provide all of the energy necessary to power a vehicle, but some vehicles have backup power sources for when enough sunlight cannot be harvested. Due to the sun’s constant power source, the future of the solar vehicle business looks to have a very bright future.
Walking
Walking is the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation that anyone can engage in. Even bicycles have an impact on the environment through their manufacturing process, but walking produces absolutely no greenhouse gases, ever. Walking through the downtown area of Charleston is a favorite pastime for many people.
Walking is still one of the safest and most environmentally friendly ways to get around these days. Recent research has shown a twenty-two percent drop in pedestrian deaths and injuries from 1998 to 2009. That said, always be mindful of the vehicles around you while you walk, as there is always the chance that a negligent driver could run into you. If this happens, don’t just assume your insurance company (or theirs) is going to handle everything; be sure to contact a local Charleston personal injury lawyer so you have someone standing on your side.
Green transportation plays a huge role in lowering our footprint on the environment. These are several ways people can get from place to place, while ensuring their effect on the environment is minimal. Eco-friendly transportation is becoming more and more popular in the United States every day, and hopefully it will continue to do so.
Krista Langford is an eco-concious mom and a contributing writer for the Howell and Christmas law group, which specializes in pedestrian and bicycle accident law. These attorneys can assist you and your families in the recovery process by helping you receive monetary compensation for your personal injury.
Cycling is a form of transport that many people I know would like to use more. However, the city I live in does not have enough safety measures – such as cycle lanes – in place. It’s fanastic that the Metropolis of NYC has been voted the most cycle-friendly. Hopefully other cities will begin to follow suit. One really positive improvement in the area where I live is the increase in school walking buses. For a while it seemed that children would from now on be deprived of this joy. All credit to the adults who make this happen.