Ways To Improve Air Quality: Take The Bus When Possible

Though human powered transportation such as bicycles and walking are the best way to improve air quality while meeting your commuting needs, a close section is taking a bus or other public transportation.

When compared to an average automobile, a bus puts significantly less pollution per person into the air. While the bus may be bigger, with a larger engine, those engines are typically diesel and thus are typically more efficient than their gasoline counterparts. Also, while automobiles usually hold between 2 and 8 passengers, most city buses are capable of holding 20 to 30 people or more. In large cities where bus transportation is widely used, buses are near capacity for much of their routes. This leads to a carbon footprint per person substantially lower than even the most efficient hybrid car.

If you're in a city with other forms of public transportation, these vessels may be even more efficient. Use of subways, for instance, allow hundreds of people to travel on a set rail at once. These subway cars are very efficient because they are optimized for their routes and their available seats give them a much lower cost per passenger than many other forms of transportation.

So the next time you need to go somewhere, consider your impact on the environment and how you can use a more efficient medium. Bus and subway schedules are often posted online and are very affordable, so consider public transit for your next adventure.