Public Transit and the Environment

February 21, 2022

Written by: Caroline Kim

Can an increased use of public transportation positively impact the environment? Today, automobiles are more common than ever due to the convenience it provides, but it can be detrimental to the environment. In fact, in 2021, nearly 30% of greenhouse gas emissions came from transportation alone. Private vehicles release significant amounts of carbon emissions and can be far less efficient than that of public transit. Increased use of public transportation can reduce these carbon emissions, save energy, reduce congestion, and also allow more accessible transportation for communities. Not to mention, it is much cheaper than driving a private vehicle. Reduced carbon emissions, as we know, will help reduce climate change and preserve energy (more on this topic can be found in previous posts). A more prevalent use of public transportation can also result in more compact societies; this would allow for more available land and possibly reduce urbanization and deforestation. Perhaps private transportation isn’t as appealing anymore.

Sources:

“Public Transit Leading in Transition to Clean ... - Apta.” Apta.com, https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/Resources/resources/reportsandpublications/APTA-Transit-Leading-Clean-Technology.pdf.

“Federal Vehicle Standards.” Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, 27 Jan. 2022, https://www.c2es.org/content/regulating-transportation-sector-carbon-emissions/#:~:text=29%20percent%20of%20U.S.%20greenhouse,total%20U.S.%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions.

Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 1990-2019 (EPA, 2021)