Green Homes: Getting Around Green
May 01, 2008
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a continuing series of articles provided by the Green Omaha Coalition’s Green Neighborhood Council. The Green Omaha Coalition is dedicated to promoting a healthy, sustainable community through partnerships, policy and smart solutions. Omaha by Design is a founding partner. This month’s authors are public transportation advocate Clyde Anderson and Trilety Wade, environmental consultant with Hayes Environmental LLC.
By Clyde Anderson and Trilety Wade
Having a green home doesn’t just stop at the door. It also matters how much and what type of energy you use to get to and from your home. “Cars and light trucks account for 40 percent of the nation’s oil use, and the total distance traveled by Americans exceeds that of all other industrial nations combined,” said David Ochsner of the Green Omaha Coalition. “If we want to get serious about greening our communities, we need to drive less and walk, bike or use public transportation more.”
There are many advantages to walking, biking and taking public transportation. Environmental benefits are noticeable when you consider that burning one gallon of gasoline is equal to the release of 20 pounds of carbon dioxide. Health benefits are obvious with every extra step you take – even walking to the bus stop provides opportunities for increased activity. In addition to reducing emissions and getting healthy, you can also save money by choosing public transportation. The January 2007 report Public Transportation & Petroleum Savings in the US: Reducing Dependence on Oil estimated that a two-adult household using public transportation could save $6,251 per year!
Walking and Biking
Check out www.activateomaha.org for great resources on biking and walking. You can find Bike Commuting 101, a terrific resource for both the novice and experienced bicyclist. The Activate Omaha web site also has the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Bicycle Map that identifies safe bike routes throughout the metro area.
Take a Bus
For information on the local bus system, check out the four-part series “Diary of a MAT Man” in the City Weekly at www.omahacityweekly.com. Remember to visit the MAT web site at www.metroareatransit.com for bus fare, schedule and general information.
Carpooling
Abandoning the use of personal autos is not an option for many Omaha-area residents. Carpooling is a great way to cut costs, save energy and reduce global warming. MetrO! Rideshare, a program sponsored by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, provides a viable alternative to driving to work solo. Check it out at www.metrorideshare.org.
In case you are still wondering why you should use multiple modes of transportation, visit www.travelmatters.org, and use the emissions calculator resource tool. By entering the make/model of automobile, miles driven per month and a few other data, you can find out how many pounds of carbon dioxide are released because of your personal driving choices. Remember, mass transit may not be the sole solution for your lifestyle, but it can benefit your wallet, waistline and the climate.
“Getting Around Green” Workshop
For more information on how to green your transportation, please join us for the “Getting Around Green in the Big O!” workshop. The event is set for Saturday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Neighborhood Center. This practical workshop will help boost the knowledge and willpower of Omaha area residents to use alternative forms of transportation.
Unsure of your travel options? Learn what you can do to drive less and, more importantly, avoid buying that second or third or fourth car! Those present will have the chance to win free bus ticket packets, bicycle gear and other prizes to get you started on your way to driving less. R.S.V.P. to Daniel Lawse at livesimply93@gmail.com.
Transportation is both a vocation and avocation for speaker Clyde Anderson. Retired from Union Pacific after 31 years as a civil engineer and transportation planner, Anderson is now a part-time school bus driver/aide for Omaha Public Schools. He bikes to work using MAT’s #18 bus as a backup. Except for a one-year stint with the California Division of Highways, Anderson has always used public transportation for commuting.
Tara Ryan from MetrO! Rideshare will explain how carpooling can work for you. Carpooling is good for business because employees save money, traffic is reduced, and those who carpool arrive at work less stressed and are more productive. Carpooling also reduces the need for parking, and many Omaha businesses provide employee parking.
The Neighborhood Center, 115 S. 49th Ave., is easily reached via public transportation. Take the #2 bus to 49th Avenue and Dodge, and walk south one block. The #2 bus operates every 30 minutes on Saturdays. Check MAT’s web site at http://www.metroareatransit.com/ for the latest schedules.
The event, sponsored by the Green Neighborhood Council of the Green Omaha Coalition (www.greenomahacoalition.org), is free and open to the public.