Wrapping up the football season in the tri-state area where I work and reside was truly an exciting experience. The NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee did a great job organizing the larger-than-life event and coordinating every detail to perfection.
What caught my attention was the advertisement for using public transportation to and from the stadium on the day of the game. There are so many benefits to taking advantage of public transportation, both for the environment and for yourself.
Greener Tomorrow
The most important benefit of public transit is that it keeps the environment and the air a lot cleaner. If we all started to switch from driving to taking a bus or train to work, think about how many cars would be eliminated from the roads. A great amount of carbon dioxide emissions would be avoided. Also, many buses these days have also started to use alternative fuel.
Reduced Stress
It has been proven that people who use public transit regularly are more active than those who drive. Some studies have also shown that public transportation can help reduce stress. Many people are able to do more walking to get their train or bus, and once on board they can read, listen to music or even catch up on sleep.
Saving money
Compared with gas prices, parking fees and maintenance costs, annual public transportation fares are a lot cheaper. Maybe if your workplace or school is nearby, you can even start riding a bike! Verizon has a great Bike to Work program for our employees.
Safety First
Last but not least, buses and other public transport systems are also a lot safer than individual vehicles. Car accidents are responsible for about 40,000 deaths a year. Using an alternate mode of transport will help reduce that danger.
Powerful Answers
One of the winners of the Powerful Answers Award in Sustainability this year was a company called Bandwagon, which is working to reduce the number of cars on the road by providing ridesharing for taxis and car services. Verizon has also worked with a company called RideWise, a source for sustainable travel alternatives in Somerset County, N.J. We have participated in RideWise’s Vanpooling program, which is a system that brings employees to their worksites.
Let’s all start thinking about how we can leave our car keys at home and find an alternate way to get to our destinations.
