Green Ways to Get Around
The cars and trucks we drive are major polluters. Although much has been done to reduce vehicle emissions, our cars are still the leading source of air pollution and second largest source of global warming pollution in the Portland metro area. Even our rivers aren’t safe from our love affair with the automobile: oil leaks and toxic compounds from cars such as lead wheel weights and mercury brake pads pollute our waters.
As gas prices rise and we spend more time stuck in traffic, it’s time to consider alternatives to driving alone. The Portland region is a great place to find a variety of transportation options. Start small and commit to eliminating at least one single-person car trip each week. Next month, try eliminating two. Before you know it, you’ll save lots of money at the pump and have fun doing it.
Around Town
Trip Chaining: By thinking ahead about where you need to go and what you need to do, you can run all of your errands at one time. Grouping your trips together will save time, money, headaches, and the environment! Click here for “10 Ways to Trip Chain.”
Public Transit: If you take the bus, light rail or the streetcar, you can read a book or watch the scenery while avoiding other drivers’ road rage and the hassle of finding a parking space. TriMet serves Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties. C-Tran serves Clark County. And SMART TripCheck operated by the Oregon Department of Transportation provides free bus service in the Wilsonville area.
Bicycling: Did you know that the bicycle is the most energy efficient form of transportation on the planet? Pound for pound, a person on a bicycle expends less energy than any creature or machine covering the same distance. (Walking takes about 3 times as many calories as riding a bike the same distance.) Often we jump in our car to go a mile or less. A bicyclist can easily cover a mile in four minutes, so think about pulling your bicycle out of the garage next time you’re headed to the mini mart. Bicycling is great exercise and it’s pollution-free! The Bicycle Transportation Alliance provides cycling resources across Oregon, and Vancouver residents can take advantage of the City of Vancouver’s bicycling information.
Walking: Walking is great for your health and the easiest way to make short trips. When you walk, you see all sorts of things you never notice when you drive your car, and you’re much more likely to interact with your neighbors and stop to smell the roses. Best of all, walking is free! Check out great resources for pedestrians at Drive Less, Save More.
Carpooling: Carpooling or vanpooling will reduce the stress of driving, traffic congestion and air pollution, and save you money on car maintenance, fuel and car insurance. CarpoolMatchNW is a safe, easy, convenient and free way to find someone to share a ride with in Oregon and Southwest Washington. If several of your coworkers want to drive together, you might consider using one of MetroVanpool’s vanpool providers. Metro VanPool pays for 50 percent of the basic monthly van lease cost, not including fuel. Click here for more information on these ridesharing options.
Car Sharing: Some folks can get by without owning a car or can drop from two cars to one by becoming car sharing members. Car sharing is a lot like car rental, but the cars are conveniently parked near homes and workplaces and can be rented by the hour. Members use them when they need them, paying just a simple hourly rate that includes gas, insurance and maintenance. It’s far less expensive than owning and operating a car. The car sharing company in the Portland metro area is Flexcar.
Telecommuting: Why not avoid commuting altogether? Many employers allow their employees to work from home one or more days a week. Would you be more productive in front of your home computer, working in your pajamas and sipping coffee from your favorite mug? If your job is the type that would allow working from home, talk to your employer and let them know that the Oregon Department of Energy and the Washington Department of Transportation work with businesses interested in offering telework as a commute option and even offer financial incentives.
In summary, leaving your car at home is the most effective way to protect the planet, reduce congestion, and create more livable communities. For more sound advice on ways to maintain your mobility while driving less, visit Drive Less. Save More.
Further Afield
By bus or train: Enjoy space to work or time to relax as you travel through the breathtaking scenery of the Pacific Northwest on the Amtrak Cascades. This sleek, European-style train stops in Eugene, Salem, Portland, Vancouver, Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle, Bellingham, Vancouver, BC and points in between. Thruway Motorcoaches operated by Amtrak provide connecting service to the train. To find other transit options between cities in Oregon, visit TripCheck.com, or for intercity travel in Washington, visit “Ways to Get Around.”
By airplane: The average commercial airline flight in the domestic U.S. releases more than 1,700 pounds per person of harmful global warming gases into our atmosphere. To minimize this pollution, consider taking vacations close to home, and the next time you fly, offset the global warming pollution associated with your air travel.
