By Cindy et Benoit
Whether it's to go to work, take the children to school, get bread or go on vacation, we all need to move. But it is important to choose the most suitable mode of transport for our trip. Indeed, for years, air pollution due to transport has only increased and traffic jams contribute to 75% of photochemical pollution.
It is therefore important to limit your CO2 emissions related to travel. Moreover, if you are curious, the ADEME (Agency for the Environment and Energy Management) has made available on its website the impact of our trips calculated in quantity of CO2. I leave you the link if you want to take a look.
Go to work :
For most of us, it probably tops the list of dirty rides. It is regular, sometimes quite long and above all, we all appreciate the comfort of our car, which makes it difficult to replace. But it is also also a money pit, especially with the current price of fuel.
However, there are many alternatives to it. And we quickly realize that giving up comfort and independence can give way to many advantages!
So here is a list of alternatives to daily trips:
- Public transport : by metro, tram, bus or train, these are all means of getting around with very low CO2 emissions. And for some, you even avoid traffic jams on the road.
In transport, take the opportunity to read a little, finish an urgent job or even finish your night;).
- Walking: If you don't work far from your job, why not go on foot. This allows you to get some air and to have a little decompression airlock after work.
As recommended by the PNNS (National Health Nutrition Program), it is good to walk 30 minutes a day. This allows you to keep in shape but also to improve your physical condition.
- Bike or scooter (electric or not): For slightly longer distances that cannot be done on foot, you can always try the bike or scooter. In fact, cycling is the fastest way to get around town.
The state offers assistance for the purchase of an electrically assisted bicycle. Find out if you are eligible for this assistance. It gives a little boost.
- The VLS (Vélo Libre Service) : if you don't want to bother with a bicycle or if you simply don't have the space to store one, the self-service bicycle is a good alternative. It is very easy to rent one and it is without constraint.
In Strasbourg, 15% of journeys are made by bicycle in the city.
- Carpooling : if you have a colleague who doesn't live too far from your home or a neighbor who works next door to yours, you can try carpooling. This reduces CO2 emissions, but also the number of cars on the road.
Did you know that carpooling over a distance of 20km from work to home saves you €1500 per year?
- Car sharing : this is an occasional car rental service (by the hour, day or more). If you live in a large city, you drop your personal car, which you don't necessarily use every day. We are then less tempted to take a vehicle for a short trip and we thus group our trips.
Car sharing reduces the number of cars in circulation.
- Eco-driving : also called "economical driving", aims to consume as little energy as possible during a car journey. Some examples of actions to adopt: limit sudden braking, limit the use of air conditioning, reduce your speed by 10 km/h... If you want to know more about this type of driving, quickly click on this link.
By practicing eco-driving, you can reduce your fuel consumption by 10 to 50%.
Of course, whether we live in town or in the countryside, we are not housed in the same boat. This is why it is important to adapt your modes of travel according to where you live and the means available to you. Besides, we are convinced that there is at least one thing you can do to reduce your CO2 emissions.
Small daily errands:
To go do your shopping: pharmacy, bakery, butcher or small local merchants, always ask yourself the question if you can't make the trip on foot or by bike. We sometimes realize that it takes longer to move the car, find a place to park than to get there on foot. In addition, you run the businesses in your neighborhood.
The same is true for taking or picking up children from school. A little bit of walking allows you to spend a privileged moment with them in order to tell your school day for example.
Vacations :
The holidays, synonymous with decompression, are important for everyone. But do we need to travel to the other side of the world to enjoy and clear our heads?
You already know it, the plane pollutes and it is not new. To give an idea: a trip to Thailand emits 3 tonnes of CO2 equivalent for each passenger! That's the equivalent of 3 years heating your home.
What if we changed the way we travel? " To the cult of speed we oppose the praise of slowness " said Julien Goguel from Liberation . We could relearn how to travel close to home, rediscover nature with bike rides or walking and above all: take our time. I'm sure many of you already do. For example, we experienced it during our holidays in ecoland.
But then, should we refrain from flying? Taking stock of each of our actions is a victory in itself. This allows us to understand them, to think about them, etc... The alternatives are sometimes numerous, it is enough just to see them. A large number of journeys can be made by train, for example. Taking the time to travel, rediscovering routes, distances, the landscape that takes shape and evolves: that's also what holidays are all about.
We also recommend the Greenpeace guide "41 ideas for ecological trips across Europe" . It is really very well done. I'll send you the link to download this guide ! Take a look, it's worth the detour.
