One of the main reasons my carbon footprint is so high is transportation. Even tho I personally don't drive in a car often and go everywhere by foot, my family uses their cars on a daily basis(work, shopping, running errands...). I honestly think it is unnecessary to use cars to go somewhere that is within walking distance. Im also in shock when I'm going to or from school and see a bunch of cars but every car has one person in it. If you know someone or have friends that are going to the same destination, wouldn't it make sense to drive with them? Instead of driving, I recommend going places by bike, by foot or use public transportation.

I agree! I take public transit to school every day, but because of how much my family has to use cars to get to work/ my younger sibling's school that category was very high for me. My city has things like carpool lanes on the highways/freeways but we are severely lacking in a good public transit system. I always try to walk or carpool to get to where I need to go, but because of where I live it's very difficult. I wish more cities had good public transit systems, and I think that would help with the problem of everyone individually driving everywhere.

I completely agree with both of these responses. As a student athlete I am not only driving or taking public transport to school, but driving to my out of school sports. My mornings consist of either driving to the bus stop or having my mom drive about 10 miles each way to get to school. Along with that, the traffic in the bay area is consistently bad with a usual of one person in each car, clogging the lanes up even more. Due to the amount of poverty in the Bay Area not as many people use public transport that can be utilized for limited traffic and less cares on the road. I think if we can utilize our relationships for carpool or our public transportation resources, we can help get cars off the street and limit our gas usage.

I totally agree, the amount of pollution that gets spread just by cars is unbelievable. When I was in 6th and 7th grade, my parents would drive me and my friend to school every day because of scheduling complications. Not only did it turn out to be a really fun experience, but it also reduced my friend's carbon admission in the process. It was a both fun and more eco-friendly way to travel. This video really dives deep into what we can do to reduce the amount of carbon we produce.

Yeah that makes sense. Transportation is a rough thing when it comes to carbon. It definitely raises the footprint. It's really great that you're recognizing it and making an effort to change it. I will take your advice for sure when it comes to the biking and the waking because biking and walking to the places you need to go is truthfully the most carbon neutral way to handle things like this. Very smart. I appreciate your input.

I totally agree! I think that using cars is a great way to travel long distances, but not so much when you can walk. It is much more efficient when you can share transportation with other people, like in a carpool. Having six or seven people in a car significantly reduces the amount of carbon emissions that would otherwise be necessary.

While I agree that public transportation, biking, and walking are much more environmentally friendly alternatives to driving a car, it can be difficult to do these things in some cities. Unfortunately, a lot of cities lack the public infrastructure like sidewalks and easily accessible paths between places that is needed to make a city walkable. The public transportation systems in many places are also largely flawed, there often isn’t enough funding, poor accessibility, poor scheduling, and many other problems. This issues could be solved to make cities more navigable without relying on cars, but governments often don’t prioritize this.

Transportation is nice especially when it is accessible in the driveway of your home. However the gasses it gives off is not good for our climate. Not only that but the maintenance can be a headache in itself. The other issue that comes with the maintenance is the disposal of parts. Instead of having to go through this trouble why not find alternatives that can be much easier to maintain and not have to deal with as many junk parts. Biking is a great alternative that can also improve your physicality as well. If accessible another alternative the tram or sky rail which does not give off any gasses to travel on.

We don't need cars; wherever we go, we can get there by other means. Cars are good for long-distance travel, like going from Florida to New York. That's like a 13-hour drive. Walking is better for short distances, great for exercise, and the most environmentally friendly option. Bicycling: Good for medium distances, faster than walking, and still provides a workout.Bicycling: Good for medium distances, faster than walking, and still provides a workout.

You are absolutely right: transportation significantly contributes to the carbon footprint, and your suggested alternatives walking, biking, public transit, and carpooling are among the most effective ways to reduce it. I genuinely believe we can make a meaningful reduction in our environmental impact and save money by making a few small changes. For short trips under 2 miles, I highly recommend trying to walk or bike. It's not only zero-emissions but also a great way to fit exercise into your day. For longer commutes to work or school, I often find it shocking to see single-occupancy cars, especially during rush hour. If we know someone, such as a colleague, classmate, or neighbor, who is also going to the same place, would it make sense to seriously consider carpooling with them? Sharing one trip among two or more people is much better than everyone driving alone. For errands, if the destination is near a bus or train line, taking public transportation is an excellent way to save on gas and reduce the stress of driving and parking.

I agree, we shouldn’t rely on cars so much and should only drive them when necessary like transporting something or when places are over 25-30 minute walking distance. I also believe that bikes would be a much better option if the walk is too far/long. Decreasing how much we drive our cars could have a much more positive affect than we think; less gas being emitted into the atmosphere; save money; free way of exercise; overall eco-friendly.

Yeah I get what you mean Leda, and you make really good points about transportation. Even if you walk most places, your family's daily use of a car can still raise your overall carbon footprint. It's true that a lot of people drive even when the place they are going is close enough to even walk, and that adds up over time. I also agree that using bikes, walking, or taking public transportation can help cut down on pollution. Which those small choices can actually have a big impact if more people actually start to decide to do it.