Think before you travel
Personal transport contributes 18% of total UK CO2 emissions. Travelling by car or plane produces a high percentage of these emissions. Below are tips and suggestions on how to travel with a lower footprint.
First steps
- Drive less and share your commute with friends or colleagues
- Take in more of Britain’s countryside for long weekend breaks and cut out those short haul flights to Europe
- Walk or cycle for short trips and get fit in the process
- Take trains and buses when you’re going on holiday. There are plenty of different overseas train networks; to find out more visit The Man in Seat Sixty-One
- Offset your flight emissions with a Gold Standard offset product, such as Myclimate, atmosfair or climate friendly
- If you have the flexibility, work from home one day a week
Challenge yourself
- Join a car club and save on MOT, insurance, road tax, repairs, parking and petrol costs. Every car club car is the equivalent of taking five cars of the road
- If you are buying a new car, investigate more energy efficient or hybrid models
- If you do a school run why not organise a walking bus for your children and their friends? It’s more social and helps keep your children healthy, not to mention the money saved from petrol and other car costs
- For those who only do short trips, look into buying an electric car
- Persuade your employer to provide safe and secure bicycle storage and shower facilities for keen cyclists