How Much Does Public Transportation Help the Environment?

With environmental issues becoming an increasingly important topic for all of us, public transportation is beginning to get its due when it comes to cutting national and global emissions. 

Still, many of us take public transportation without ever thinking about the good we’re doing for the environment. 

Public transportation can decrease the negative effects that car emissions have on the environment by cutting the number of pollutant-emitting vehicles there are on the road. Learn how public transportation can help the environment from your McAllen public transportation service.

How Public Transit Helps the Environment

Public transit has a wide variety of benefits, some of which help the environment. Knowing these benefits can greatly impact your choice of daily transportation. 

Some ways that public transit can help the environment include:

• Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions — 85% of greenhouse gas emissions that are released every day come from day-to-day commutes. By choosing to use public transportation, less fuel will be burned and air quality may see an improvement.

• Increases Fuel Efficiency — Public transportation has better fuel efficiency than other passenger vehicles. If you multiply the average miles per gallon by the number of cars on the road versus transit buses or trains, you’ll see that less fuel is consumed by public transport.

• Decreases Traffic Congestion — Traffic congestion increases with the number of cars on the road. Using public transportation can decrease that congestion. Once traffic congestion is lowered, the air pollution will decrease as well with fewer idling vehicles.

Using public transit can be a great way to help the environment. Reducing gas emissions and traffic congestion as well as increasing fuel efficiency can make a great difference in the environment. 

Switching to public transportation can only increase those benefits and a person’s way of life.

Emissions Stats

One of the biggest factors in air pollution is the amount of emissions that are given off by vehicles each day. To better understand how public transportation decreases emissions, here are some statistics:

• U.S. public transportation saves 37 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

• 30% of carbon dioxide emissions can be saved by eliminating one car and switching to public transportation.

• Switching from a 20-mile commute by car to public transportation can reduce an individual’s annual C02 emissions by 20 pounds by day, or more than 48,000 pounds per year.

Making a simple switch from your car to a transit bus or train can improve these statistics even more. When you choose to use public transportation instead of your own vehicle, you can get the benefits while also helping the environment. 

Make the switch today by using public transportation or a ride-sharing service near you.

Environmental Impact of Cars

Cars contribute significantly to air pollution by producing nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. Every single second, two cars join the road — producing roughly 67 million cars a year. 

The more cars that are out on the road, the greater they contribute to global warming, acid rain, and harm to the environment. It may not seem like you’re doing much harm by driving your car down the road, but it can have long-lasting effects on the environment and human health. 

To decrease the impact that cars have on the environment, look to other options like public transportation or ride-sharing services.

Get Where You Need To Go, the Green Way

Many people prefer the convenience of their own vehicle to public transportation. While there are some positives to using your own car, public transportation offers even more benefits to the environment — and to you! From reducing air pollution to avoiding traffic congestion, you’ll find that public transportation has a lot to offer.

Give public transportation in McAllen a try. Catch a ride on a Metro McAllen bus or schedule your $1 rideshare with Micro, today! We can get you where you need to go in McAllen.

Do your part to help the environment with Micro and Metro McAllen, your public transportation solution.

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