Saving Energy When Travelling To and From Work

Unless you live in an inaccessible area or have to commute a particularly complicated journey to get to work there’s usually a green alternative to completing your daily journey to and from work. Despite this, many of us never even consider trying an alternative – or greener – mode of transport once we’ve got into a particular routine.

All modes of transport have their pros and cons, but taking into consideration the environment, and the potential damage you may be doing to it by commuting in a particular way, is important. Travelling is one of the biggest carbon emitting activities you’ll do in a week, and commuting to work one of the most regular journeys we make.

Take a look at the travel options that you have available when travelling to and from work – why not try switching to a different one next week?

Car

Driving to work in a car is probably one of the worst things you could do to the environment, so finding an alternative – even once a week – will be doing a lot of good in combating climate change. According to the Energy Saving Trust nearly half of us use a car to drive short journeys, journeys that could otherwise be completed in another, more sustainable way – and many of those journeys are to and from work.

Pros: It can make journeys quicker, comfortable and more straightforward.

Cons:Cars are gas guzzling and are one of the biggest polluters, as well as being expensive to run and maintain.

Bus

Buses are a much greener option than taking your car, despite the fact that they still emit CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. In London alone, buses carry 5.4 million passengers a day, up 19 per cent since 1999/2000. If you consider how many extra cars – and CO2 emissions – that would be used if each of those used a car instead of the bus, you’ll begin to see the green benefits of the bus. Plus, there are no parking costs involved, and usually weekly or monthly tickets on offer for cheaper fares.

Pros: Buses are usually cheap to travel, and will often take you close to where you need to be, plus it’s better for the environment than taking your car.

Cons: They can be slow during peak hours, and uncomfortable, particularly if you have to stand all the way!

Train

Trains are on the whole much greener than other forms of transport. Virgin trains for example, emit 76% less CO2 compared to driving or flying, and even return power to the national grid every time they brake. They’re also quicker and more direct than driving.

Pros: Like buses, trains are much better for the environment than driving – but without the inconvenience of rush hour road traffic.

Cons: Trains are more expensive than other forms of public transport and have earned a reputation for unreliability.

Walk

Walking is a free and easy way of getting from A to B, and more and more of us are using walking as a means of becoming healthier and greener. The Health Education Authority (HEA) recommends 30 minutes of brisk walking per day, so why not get your daily exercise in at the same time as travelling to and from work? Even if you have a long journey, you could walk the beginning or end stretch of the way.

Pros: Walking is healthy; a good form of exercise for people of all levels of fitness and makes you feel good. It’s also green and carbon free.

Cons: You’ll need to allow extra time for your journey each day, but for some commutes, walking simply isn’t feasible.

Cycle

Cycling, like walking, is a fantastic way of keeping fit and reducing your individual carbon footprint at the same time. More and more urban areas have designated cycling lanes, where it’s possible to avoid the congestion and traffic of the road – but while on the increase, we’re far from reaching the same levels of uptake as in other European cities. Currently only 2% of journeys completed in London are done so by bike, compared to 20% in Copenhagen and 28% in Amsterdam.

Pros: Another healthy and uplifting mode of transport. Plus, it’s also environmentally friendly.

Cons: Be extra careful on busy roads and allow extra time for your journey.