2017-03-10

Although we should try to solve the world problems, it is in human nature to worry more about the matters that trouble us personally. Every once in a while, these two things overlap and everyone gets a chance to pull their weight. One of the best examples is the issue of commuting. Here, going eco-friendly also means saving quite a bit of money in the long-run, possibly even investing in your own health. With this in mind, here are the top 5 eco-friendly methods of urban commuting.

Walking

If the distance between your home, your workplace or some other point of interest you have is not that great, you can always go to your destination on foot. This method of commuting is completely inexpensive, great for your health and even efficient seeing how it saves you from getting stuck in traffic jams. Still, seeing how you will spend so much time walking, you may want to consider buying comfortable shoes or a quality sports footwear (so much about that ‘completely free’ part, right?). Your best choices are eco friendly and ethical sneaker brands like Pozu and Taygra.

Related Post: Urban Dwellers: 4 Ways to Connect With & Care for Mother Earth



Cycling

Another method that is good for your health is cycling to work. Not only is it great cardio and perfect for your weight-loss efforts, but it is a cleaner, cheaper method of transportation, second only to walking. There are only two big downsides to cycling.

First, it doesn’t work that well when having to cover great distances since the idea of traveling 50 miles (80.4 kms) in one direction is out of question. You would have to spend hours a day commuting and by the time you get to work, you would be completely exhausted.



The second problem is getting all sweaty before even reaching work, although can easily be solved by bringing a change of clothes, having a shower if your work has these amenities or getting one of the amazing Gepida ebikes (ebikes are bicycles fitted with a motor drive system).

Public transportation

Another obvious choice is public transportation. Sure, it may not be as green as going to work on foot or by bicycle, but it is still a much better option than using your personal car or motorbike day in and day out. Still, some cities are known to have a particularly problematic public transportation system when considering fare costs (for either train or bus) and average length of journey, while others, like Australian cities such as Melbourne and Sydney fare much better than cities such as London and New Your City.



A tram in the city of Melbourne (Australia). Melbourne often tops the list of the world's most liveable cities due to affordability and its vast transportation system.

Segway

The best example of technological advancement in the field of personal transportation is the Segway or hoverboard (although some argue that it doesn’t really hover). It is completely ‘green’; it doesn’t consume much energy; and you will arrive at your destination much quicker than on foot. It's easily wearable, so you can tuck it under your arm once you reached your destination. You can also bring it with you when traveling, so you’ll stay environmentally-conscious on your holidays too.

EPIKGO Hover Self-Balance Board

Carpooling

Finally, for those who want to enjoy all the benefits of going to work in a privately-owned vehicle but still want to save some money and do the earth a favor, carpooling is a viable choice. Find a group of people heading in the same direction and split the price of the trip. This way, you are all bound to save some serious money and save your planet from the insane volumes of exhaust gases. We absolutely love Uber for that reason.

Related Post: On Driving & the Environment: How to Minimise the Impact of Your Daily Commute

Conclusion

Sadly, commuting in many cities, particularly in Australia, is still not eco-friendly enough. While in European countries 10-20 percent of daily commuting is made by bicycle, in Australia this figure is under 2 percent.

Based on my personal experience, the situation is worse than in the US. Still, to end on a slightly brighter note, anyone walking through Sydney must notice that each day, there are more and more bikes, Segways and pedestrians on the streets. This alone can be an indicator that Australian commuters are starting down the right path.

Do you live in an urban centre or the outskirts of suburbia? What does your daily commute look like? How can you minimise the negative impact of your commute?

The post Urban Green Living: 5 Eco-Friendlier Ways to Commute in the City appeared first on Eco Warrior Princess.

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