Tag Archives: CO2

Transit Riders Can Do More, Too

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20 Bus FINAL

So far this campaign has mostly been about getting car owners to reduce their time on the road by 20%.  Transit riders may be thinking, “Hey, I’m already riding the bus to work.  I’m doing all I can.”

Actually, there is more you can do.

While riding transit instead of driving will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, busses are still doing plenty of damage to the atmosphere.  You may think that because the Los Angeles MTA has converted its fleet to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) that we’re doing all we can.

Wrong.  CNG busses produce significant amounts of CO2, in addition to other pollutants.  But we could really make a dent in greenhouse gas emissions by converting the fleet to electric, and the MTA is already studying that possibility.

Not that this will be easy.  The MTA has already tested a few electric busses, and the results were less than stellar.  Electric bus technology is still fairly new, so cost and reliability are both factors.  On top of that, switching the fleet to all electric would require a massive investment in new infrastructure, and that will take years to implement.

So what can you do?  Get involved.  Stay informed about the MTA’s progress on going electric, and don’t be afraid to let them know if you think the process could be moving faster.

Follow the link below to read articles about this issue on the MTA’s blog, The Source.

The Source/Electric Bus News

 

 

Be the Light

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20 Traffic FINAL H Fwy Dark w Lav Blu Txt

It’s clear that the White House doesn’t care about science. In spite of the fact that the overwhelming majority of scientists agree that climate change is real and that it’s caused by human activity, the current administration has dropped out of the Paris Agreement and is aggressively trying to roll back regulations designed to reduce CO2 emissions.

But just because our government is going in exactly the wrong direction doesn’t mean we have to go along. Millions of Americans understand that we have to reverse the effects of climate change. If Washington isn’t going to act, then we have to act ourselves.

Can you reduce your carbon footprint by 20%? We mostly think of CO2 emissions related to transportation and industry, but there are plenty of other things that contribute to our carbon footprint, from plastic bottles to the appliances we have in our home.

Check out this list from the National Geographic. It offers 14 ways you can reduce your carbon footprint. Take a look and see how you can help. Don’t wait for Washington to change course. Make a commitment to take action yourself.

Fourteen Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Fight the darkness. Be the light.