How to Lead a Green Lifestyle
Leave the Car at Home; It's Fun to be Environmentally Friendly
Sep 13, 2009
It is not hard to generate ideas for leading a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. A brief examination of home and work life in our current consumer society can lead to individual benefits on health, wealth and assist the environment at the same time. Initially the most difficult option for most people is leaving the car at home, however surprisingly it is becoming far easier with options for public transport increasing and initiatives supporting the set up of Car Clubs resulting in benefits within major UK cities.
Leave the Car at Home
Cars pollute the atmosphere leading to the build up of greenhouse gases. This is a fact - global warming is not an illusion and any efforts that individuals can make to the effort to reduce global warming certainly go towards reducing the individual carbon footprint.
Why not consider leaving your car at home for a week to see the benefits to your health (potentially), your wallet (definitely) and also feel a little happier about contributing something towards helping the environment.
Consider Walking
- The Cheapest and Healthiest Option The cheapest option, of course, when not using your car is to walk and it is amazing how far you can get, how quick it can be and how much better you feel. With the credit crunch hitting everybody it is amazing how much money can be saved in a week too!
- Walking to Local Newsagents, Supermarkets, Post Offices is easy to perform. However, if you are only a short distance from your city centre why not consider walking there and back instead of driving? The health benefits are obvious and immediate and the exercise is free of charge and contributes to a feeling of well being and exhilaration
- Public Footpaths, Alleyways and Designated Cycle/Pedestrian Ways Within city environments it can be as quick to walk as to take a car, there are no traffic jams. Public footpaths, alleyways and cycle/pedestrian ways often provide quicker routes to industrial areas, larger supermarkets and city centres. Check out the routes locally.
Local Bus Services
Of course not everybody wants to spend an hour or so walking to city centres and also if they are planning shopping trips it is not ideal to carry bags back. Other options are local bus services and park and ride services.
- Bus companies often offer day saver rates which are great for those travelling around the locality on several buses during the day or even travelling to and from city centres several times a day, for example college students who may have free time between lectures. The ticket can be used as many times in the day as wished. Bus companies also offer cheap family day tickets which again can be used throughout the day and generally are available for up to two adults and three children. The option for workers, of course, is to buy weekly or monthly saver tickets. Check out your local bus service to see what is available. Travelling by bus reduces individual carbon footprints significantly, but can also be a fun way of getting around your city.
- Park and Ride This is an ideal service for car sharers or families. Discounted bus tickets may be available for up to five people sharing a car. The buses are quick, clean and the service is easy to use. There is space in the luggage area on the bus for pushchairs and shopping and, in the main, the buses make no stops along the route. Travelling in bus lanes at peak times can also make the journey a lot quicker than by private car.
Car Clubs are the latest private transport initiative and may soon be set up via UK Government funding as part of initiatives towards sustainable developments and Eco Towns. The Clubs have been successful in various locations across the UK and are a fantastic addition to any environmentally friendly lifestyle. Indeed, in the inner London area, many residents sold their cars after they realised the benefits of their local Car Club.
At present different initiatives are in place in major cities, however it is to be hoped that a centralised scheme will soon be in force. The main focus of the Car Club is the strategic location of quality cars throughout city centres which can be accessed and utilised by Car Club members as needed.
The benefits are plain, for the city business executive a car can be available for a couple of hours for meetings, which is then returned to a centrally located parking bay, leaving the executive free to continue his/her working day with no worries about locating spaces in car parks or walking great distances to their own cars, or indeed having to bother bringing their own car into the city at all for the day. Cars are available for hire by the hour, day or week so, as previously stated, in cities where a good Car Club is in operation, like London, owning a car can be totally superfluous.
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