Going places while going green: Environmentally friendly transportation
Automobiles account for a major portion of greenhouse gas and other pollutions released into the environment every day. It’s therefore important if you commute regularly to look into methods of travel that reduce the carbon footprint caused by vehicles. Below is a list of some noteworthy alternatives that can have a strong, positive impact on the environment, while saving you money at the same time.
Biking and Walking
Why not save the environment and get some exercise in as well? If you live close to campus, save on gas and parking by walking or biking over. Don’t have a bike? Thankfully, the Fansahwe Student Union (FSU) has bikes that students can borrow for free from The Biz Booth. Just be sure to wear a helmet, remember to signal, and use reflectors and lights at night for your safety. More info on bike loans can be found at fsu.ca/bikes
Bussing
If you need to get somewhere a little further away or are feeling too tired to bike, take the bus! The London Transit Commission (LTC) is a great way to quickly get around London while cutting down on vehicle pollution. It’s also free to full time Fanshawe students, so there’s nothing stopping you from taking full advantage of the system. Simply tap your student card on the Smart Card readers when you board. To make things even more convenient, the busses have bike racks, so you can bike to and from the stops saving both time and the environment no matter where you’re headed! More information on scheduling and bus routes can be found at LondonTransit.ca
If you’re thinking of travelling out of town, bussing is once again great alternative to driving and can be a nice way to catch up on some work during a trip home to visit your family. Greyhound Buses offer affordable student discounts and tickets can be picked up conveniently at the The Biz Booth
Rideshare and Carpooling
Finding a group of people headed to the same destination as you and carpooling allows you to stick with the convenience of driving, while cutting down on emissions created from multiple vehicles on the road. If the other passengers are pitching some money towards gas, it can save or even make the driver a little money as well.
Try to find some students who may be travelling to school every day from the same area of town and commute together. If you’re travelling out of the city, find others who are looking to get where you’re going or are headed to a city on route.
If you don’t know anyone travelling the same way as you, there are a number of online websites for connecting those looking to organize a rideshare. The FSU even has a section in its online marketplace for rideshares which can be found at FSU.ca/marketplace. There’s a similar service on Kijiji as well at kijiji.ca/b-rideshare-carpool/ontario/c5l9004.
Electric Vehicles
You may be thinking that an electric vehicle is way out of the budget range for a student. This might be true for electric cars, however, electric bikes are quite affordable and a great option for those who want to travel around town quickly. There are numerous one and two-seater designs available and the best part about them is they don’t require insurance or a license to drive. Depending on the design, they can also be parked in bicycle parking. Although they still have a fairly high price tag when compared to a normal bicycle, they can save a lot of money in the long run and will do wonders for the environment.