Go car free
Make the most of Public transport
Your Challenge
Could you try swapping some of your weekly journeys you usually make by car and instead make use of public transport, walking or cycling?
This could be a trip you’re planning, alone or with friends, or a regular journey such as your commute, or a food shop. Instead of hopping in the car (which becomes the default transport option for many of us), we can challenge ourselves to find a different, low-carbon option to get around.
You can also get together with others to share your journey. For example, if you cycle to work, do any of your colleagues cycle the same route? Or, if you’re planning a trip, can you all go on the train together? Failing that if you can’t go vehicle free, can you car share to take more cars of the road. Sharing a journey can be much more fun than travelling alone.
Why you're doing this
Although global emissions from transport reduced during the pandemic, they’ve risen significantly since – from 250 megatonnes to 8 gigatonnes.[1] Here in the UK, transport accounts for our biggest source of emissions: it’s responsible for 26% of the UK’s carbon footprint.[2]
We might think that taking the bus is a bit boring, or it’ll take us a lot longer to get to work by train than driving, but there are lots of other benefits from taking public transport. For example, if you drive to work you might have to pay for parking, and traffic can be quite stressful. Instead, taking a slightly longer train journey gives you some ‘you-time’. You could read that book you’ve been looking forward to, or do some life admin; you could listen to a podcast, or even take a mindfulness moment. If we swap to cycling or walking for a journey, we can enjoy the view and notice nature as we go, breathing in the fresh air.
How you'll make a difference
Swapping from car to public transport, cycling or walking will help us take action on climate change and reduce these emissions and our global dependence on fossil fuels.
Track your progress
in the My Footprint App
Track your progress and discover many more challenges in the My Footprint app. Available for iOS and Android devices.
