Along with our good intentions to lose weight, do more exercise, and cut down on the vino – at least for a month or so – most of us these days want to do something positive for our community and the planet.
But how hard it can be to put those good intentions into practice. Volunteering to help out in your community or support nature is so rewarding, but fitting those extra hours into already busy lives can be a challenge.
And when it comes to trying to do your bit to fight climate change it all gets so expensive: solar panels, heat pumps, electric cars, and bikes – they all come with a hefty price tag.
If there was something you could do this year to support your community and the climate that costs almost no money or time, would you give it a go?
Of course you would.
OK, then, try this for a resolution. Once a month, (or once a week if you’re feeling brave), leave the car at home and catch the bus instead.
It’ll only cost you £2 and maybe a few more minutes to get to where you’re going.
And it will do so much good.
34% of all CO2 emissions in the UK come from transport. This is a whopping third of all of our climate-warming gasses. “Decarbonising” our transport system is essential and we are seeing the transition to electric and hydrogen vehicles gather pace.
But the move to an electric car is an expensive one for most households. and even if you make the change a shared journey on a busy bus will usually be more environmentally friendly than a solo trip in an electric car (certainly whilst much of our electricity still comes from burning fossil fuels).
Every time you ditch the car and catch the bus you do your bit to cut carbon emissions and help fight climate change. Saving the planet needn’t cost the earth.
And carbon emissions are only part of the problem. The toll taken on our health by rising levels of particle pollution, Sulpher oxides, and Nitrogen dioxide generated by ever-increasing road use is a huge concern. You may think this is more of a problem in big cities, but air testing shows the narrow streets in our historic town centres can trap a worrying amount of air pollution, especially at busy times. Leaving the car at home and taking a shared journey on the bus helps improve air quality, and our health, too.
When you choose the bus you help to support the service and ensure its continued existence for those people in your community who depend on it.
Bus travel helps combat loneliness and social isolation. A smile or even a chat with your fellow passengers could make all the difference to someone’s day – maybe yours too.
Nearly half of our passengers have their own car, but sometimes choose to use the bus instead.
So this year, when Dry January is over, and your gym kit is gathering dust again, stick with this one New Year’s Resolution:
Once a month, ditch the car and catch the bus – for people, places, and the planet.
So many good reasons for catching the bus, Clare. You make the case very well.