Go Green
Make an impact on the environment every time you ride instead of drive.
Go Green With Purple
Contribute to a better future with climate-friendly travel.
While your vehicle might be good for getting you where you need to go, it and millions of others are contributing to long-term damage to the planet. But there’s a simple solution to doing your part to help the environment–instead of driving your car, just take the train when you can.
Reduce Emissions
Every little bit helps reduce pollution.
Whether it’s for leisure travel or your work commute, 2⁄3 of CO2 transportation emissions come from personal vehicle use. On average, your car emits just under one pound of CO2 per mile (.89 pounds, 404 grams). For context, 20 lbs of CO2 would fill 1200-gallon jugs. That’s a lot, but it’s easy to reduce by taking the train. By taking the train for two round trips per week for a year, you can save up to 2,886 lbs of carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere.
Reduce Congestion
Hate traffic? Take your car out of the equation.
You may not think your car adds much to traffic congestion, but with every person that takes mass transit, that’s one fewer car on the road. The average Commuter Rail car can hold 147 people. When 147 visitors take the train over their car, that’s 147 cars that aren’t on the road causing traffic congestion or burning gasoline, making for a more pleasant trip and helping the planet.
Reduce Fuel Dependency
Saving gas and the planet one tank at a time.
It’s vital we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels because they are a finite and expensive resource. Using public transportation saves the U.S. the equivalent of 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually, and more than 11 million gallons of gasoline per day. It also reduces overall energy usage. Light-duty vehicles like cars account for 54.2% of the total U.S. transportation energy use while trains and buses account for 2.6%.
Curious to Learn More?
Click here to learn more about Climate Change and Sustainability initiatives at the MBTA.