Seattle’s Transportation Changers
By Cassie Maylor
Think about the car you have now. How many times do you take
it into get repairs? What will your next car be? Powered by water? Or electricity? Will it
fly? Will you even need one? But suppose it’s cheaper than the one you have
now? And suppose it’s cheaper to not have one all together.
Transportation is traditionally a big thing to people in the
younger generation. In the last four or
five decades it’s been a milestone for a young adult to receive or purchase
their first car. But what if, instead of
taking out a loan to afford a car, you took the opportunity to use alternative
kinds of public transportation instead?
There are many different options in the Seattle area that, if utilized,
could grow into a very popular and common transportation networks!
During Sustainable Seattle’s 2015 Sustainability Leadership
Awards in January; Pronto Cycle Share won the transportation changer category
out of a field of five nominees. Pronto
Cycle Share is connecting Seattle though the sharing of bicycles. They provide a fast, low cost and flexible
transportation alternative. You can choose to try the bicycle sharing system,
or jump in and purchase a membership! You may need to invest a little in a bike
lock, your own helmet, or reflective safety gear but other than that this is a
great organization that provides a full service to the people of Seattle! The
other top 5 nominees for the transportation changer category included FREEWHEEL
Carbon Free Cargo, Car2Go, Mobile Bicycle Rescue and Uber.
Here is a quick look at each of these transportation
alternatives and resources. FREEWHEEL
Carbon Free Cargo works with 14 local businesses and delivers products or
product shipments to homes, offices, and other businesses without the carbon pollution
that comes along with other delivery services.
FREEWHEEL employees believe in putting their values into action and
getting things done, and that is what they have been doing for the last year
because the business is growing fast.
Car2go works hard to empower and inspire people to live a
more eco-friendly life by providing convenience and encouraging members and
users to drive more efficiently. This
option is great for the on the move person looking for something quick and easy
for one way trips to fast transport when running late, and is easiest for the
smartphone user.
MBR or Mobile Bicycle Rescue is exactly what it sounds like!
They provide everything from a quick tune up to a full assembly or inspection.
This organization would be a life-saver for any bicycle commuter in need of a
quick repair or the avid bike rider.
Uber is an organization known around the globe and they have
many drivers in many major cities across the US. The Seattle Uber system is the
best alternative to driving your own car and in a way is similar to the taxi
system.
Here are some facts you need to be convinced of to decide not
buy a new car. In 2012, the Energy Information Administration published that
the average household spent $2,912 on gasoline alone, which translates to about
4% of a family's income. That year gasoline averaged $3.70 a gallon.
·
price
to own $2,151 (annually)
·
price
to cover insurance $910 (annually)
·
price
to pay for gas (2012) $866 (annually)
·
price
to cover repairs $375 (annually)
·
the average american owns 1.9 vehicles
and spends about 1.5% of annual income on auto repairs
(sources: GasBuddy.com, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics,
National Association of
Insurance Commissioners Statistics, CarMD.com)
Using these innovative
and sustainable transportation alternatives can significantly lower your carbon
footprint. More importantly to a lot of Americans, is that it will
significantly lower your annual transportation costs. Any person, active
environmental steward or not, can make these changes and see a positive impact
on their lives. In Colin Beavan’s No
Impact Man, he says at the end of his epilogue,
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