The City of Calgary promotes sustainable transportation options this Earth Day
In celebration of Earth Day, The City of Calgary is encouraging Calgarians to contribute to a greener city by using a mix of transportation options such as carpooling, transit, cycling and walking. Today’s free “Green Your Ride” event at Olympic Plaza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. explores alternate modes of transportation.
The Green Your Ride event will highlight how different transportation modes connect and how Calgarians can use a combination of modes to travel quickly and easily while reducing their environmental impact. Participants will have an opportunity to challenge their driving skills in a Green Driver simulator, learn how transit can get them around town, explore how car-sharing can save on money and get their bike tuned up for spring.
“Our transportation choices have a direct impact on the air we breathe, the amount of land we need for infrastructure and our overall health and wellness,” says Robin Sauvé, Leader of Community Initiatives. “By using a combination of modes to get where we need to go, we can reduce our emissions, save on money and improve our quality of life.”
The City is encouraging everyone to make every day Earth Day with these tips for travelling green:
- Leave your car at home
Consider your health and your wallet when choosing your mode of travel. Save money on a gym membership by walking your kids to school or taking your bike to work. - Mix and match
By combining two or more modes of transportation such as cycling and public transit, you can cover greater distances and bypass obstacles such as traffic jams or detours. - Share the cost
- Did you know that on average it costs more than $10,000 a year to own and operate a vehicle? Using services like car-sharing and transit can reduce the need for a second vehicle and save you money in the long run.
- Buddy up
When travelling greater distances, cut down on traffic and the cost of your commute by carpooling to your destination. - Drive Smart
If you must drive, adopt these green driving habits to reduce your emissions.
Accelerate smoothly - Start slow and build up speed gradually.
Prepare to stop by slowing down - Avoid hard stops and you’ll use less fuel.
Reduce idling - It only takes 10 seconds to use more fuel idling than it does to restart your engine.
Check your tire pressure monthly - Proper tire pressure increases fuel efficiency and decreases wear and tear on the tires.
Reduce your load - Eliminating unnecessary weight in your trunk can go a long way to increasing your car’s fuel efficiency. Take off any unused ski or bike racks to reduce additional weight and wind resistance.
Plan and combine trips - Whenever possible, schedule trips so you start with the furthest stop first.
Travel light - Select the right size vehicle for the job at hand.
The City of Calgary continues to make progress towards its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets to reduce GHG emissions to 20 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020. Some of the work underway at The City to reduce emissions from transportation includes:
- Training City drivers in our Green Driver program, which teaches simple driving techniques to reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions
- Testing low-emission vehicles in our fleet, such as hybrid and full-electric vehicles
- Introducing cleaner fuels into our fleet, including the introduction of compressed natural gas buses
- Powering C-trains with 100 per cent renewable energy and expanding city-wide transit options
- Supporting a mix of transportation options for Calgarians, including transit, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure
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