We’ve all heard of green technology. From power-generating windmills to reusable straws and everything in between, many companies and governments are trying to curb emissions and promote a more sustainable future. The largest emitters of carbon are air travel, animal agriculture, and ground transportation – like cars. In this post, we’ll take an optimistic look at green initiatives that are changing the way we are transported. If we are going to successfully mitigate climate change, you better believe a whole new transport portfolio is in order. Check out these initiatives that are changing the future for the greener!
1. Higher fuel efficiency. One of the biggest ongoing changes that has reduced the share of carbon emissions that transit is responsible for is simply the higher fuel efficiency packed into contemporary cars. While cars back in the day used to get ten miles to the gallon if you were lucky, today’s vehicles can clock upwards of 30. While you can always go with an eco-forward option like a Toyota Prius or a sleek new Tesla, even a certified pre-owned Mercedes Benz will get you 35 highway MPG. Clever engineering ensures that your carbon footprint has been seriously reduced. But that’s not the only change…
2. Electric vehicles. Did you know that Henry Ford actually made an electric vehicle? It’s true! They’ve been around almost as long as gas vehicles have. Only now, in the 21st century, the technology has improved so much that they are becoming serious competitors to gas-powered cars in both performance and reliability. It’s only a matter of time before enough people adopt these clever green solutions that there’s a total overhaul of the transportation infrastructure. Soon, you might start seeing more smart charging stations for electric cars pop up where gas stations used to be. Now that’s a green initiative we can all get behind.
3. Self-driving cars. Wait, what? How can self-driving cars be a green initiative? There’s two parts to this answer. First, self-driving cars of the future are more likely to be hybrid or electric cars, so that’s already helping to green the roads. But that’s not the coolest part. In addition to that, self-driving vehicles are more efficient in every way. Think of it – you lose plenty of gas sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic every day on your commute. With self-driving cars that are much less likely to get in an accident or slow down when roads are crowded, you’re gaining that much more fuel efficiency. Now multiply that by millions of commuters. That’s a lot of carbon footprint reduction.
4. Growing ridesharing economy. Back in the old days, the gold standard for an American family was to own a house and a personal family car, maybe even two. Those days are starting to change. Now, instead of every person having their own car to get around, rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are making it more common to hitch a ride from someone else. Some futurists envision a situation in the near future where self-driving developments by Uber lead to vans that drive around town bringing people where they need to go. Vanpools already exist, but they haven’t exactly scaled to the size needed to start cutting down on emissions as much as they we need. We might see that start to change. Which brings us to our last initiative…
5. Public transit 2.0. Okay, this isn’t exactly a change to automobiles per se, but it’s definitely one of the most important items on this list. Public transit these days has a pretty bad reputation. Folks would rather not take the bus if they can drive their own car. Busses take forever, and can be dirty and uncomfortable. In the future, this could change. With clever policy solutions, novel technologies like self-driving busses, and budget restructuring, cities might start to revamp their public transit options. With smart grids that keep everything perfectly in sync, trains and subways that operate in perfect lockstep, and faster busses that have their own dedicated lanes, you might start to wonder what all the fuss about cars was ever about!
The sooner these changes get started, the better, because we only have a few short years left before climate change becomes very dangerous. With clever innovation and the right green initiatives, the future of automobiles and transportation can certainly be bright.