Switch from the Car to Walking, Cycling, Bus, or Train

Here we look at; Walking, Cycling, or Taking the Bus or Train Instead of Driving the Car. This is one of over 40 ideas in our Sustainability Roadmap with Solutions to Climate Change, and part of our series on Living Sustainably.

If you already know that it’s important to reduce your carbon footprint to help climate change, here are the options to switch from driving your car to walking, cycling, or taking the bus or train:

If you want some more facts before making any decisions, let’s get into the details:

Leaving the car at home whenever possible is a bit of a no-brainer, but the simple switches, the switches that are right in front of us, are often the ones we miss.

Check Out #VoteWithOurMoney with 6 Steps to Help Stop Climate Change

Whilst some of this is obvious, I have included one recommendation that you might not have heard about. It’s a better way to book train tickets with a company that plants trees for every train ticket purchased.

So, it’s easy to jump in the car to drive short distances.

Sure, transport isn’t just cars. The stats on transport include; road transport, domestic aviation, railways, and domestic shipping.

The bit we can control, quickly, is how we use our own cars.

Walking Instead of Driving the Car

Changing a habit can be difficult.

I used to always grab the car keys and rush out the house.

But on my mission to help climate change by living sustainably, I knew that in most cases I could walk or cycle, and completely cut out my emissions from getting from A to B.

All it took was for me to plan a few minutes in advance and give myself more time to get from A to B.

Apart from wanting to do my bit to help climate change, there was one unexpected thing that helped me to get into the habit of walking or cycling instead of taking the car. That thing was mindfulness.

Instead of rushing around, which I always used to do, it’s taught me to put my head up, put my phone down (or leave my phone at home), give myself a bit more time, and to look and listen to what’s around me.

It was quite surprising how much I noticed. How much I’d missed.

I’ve always loved learning by observing, so it was great to rush around less and be present more. To notice more.

Now I always prioritise walking, and if I need to get somewhere faster, or a bit farther away, I take my bike.

Cycling Instead of Driving the Car

I like cycling because I can still be present and aware of what’s around me, the sights and sounds and smells, but also because it’s a free workout.

Cycling might not be completely carbon neutral, because the bike has to be produced and transported, but once you own it, it’s a great way to cut right down on your carbon footprint.

I’ve had my bike for 5 years and haven’t needed to replace tyres, brakes, chain, anything.

If you prefer a bit of help when you’re cycling, and can afford the investment, there are electric bikes that will make it easier to get from place to place.

As long as you can recharge the electric bike using renewable and green energy then you’re all good, and can be happy that you’ve significantly reduced your carbon footprint.

If you’d like some guidance on what bike to choose (new if you have to and are buying something to last forever, or second hand is even better), it’s worth checking out these Ethical Consumer product guides:

Taking the Bus or Train Instead of Driving the Car

I’ll admit that I don’t often take the bus, unless I’m in London. I’m lucky that I can walk or cycle to most places that are in or around Pershore.

Getting the bus starts with knowing the timetables and bus stops near your home and where you want to go. This can be a bit of a minefield depending on where you live, so my three recommendations are:

The Traveline website looks like a good place to start. From there you may well use Ecosia (every search through Ecosia plants trees, yey!) to search for your local bus timetables.

I used the Citymapper App when I’m in London. As well as London, it covers other cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Nottingham, Cardiff, Bristol, and Newcastle.

You can download the Citymapper app from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

I’ve saved the best for last…

Trainhugger is the fantastically green way to book your train. When you book a train ticket through Trainhugger, they plant a tree in the UK.

They’ve partnered with the Royal Forestry Society and the Royal Scottish Forestry Society to plant trees all over the UK.

Their first 2,500 trees are being planted in the RFS Hockeridge and Pancake Woods just outside London, which, as well as helping climate change, is also an important site for historic archaeological features.

You can learn more about how Trainhugger plants trees.

Here Is What You Can Do

Try walking, cycling, or taking the bus
Try the Sustainability Roadmap
Check out #VoteWithOurMoney
Use the Company Directory
Be inspired. We can live climate positive
Talk to your friends and colleagues
Share this with others

Where Next?

There is so much inspiring information to give you ideas of how to help climate change by growing, eating, and living sustainably, you can:

Sources Used to Create This

Production Notes

This was produced by me, James Walters, as a personal project to help stop climate change by inspiring others to grow, eat, and live sustainably.

Any advice given is the opinion of those involved and does not constitute medical, financial, or legal advice.

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