Going green extends to every aspect of our lives and many of you are wondering how to green your transport for a post-Covid-19 vacation. Traveling green takes some adjustment at first but quickly becomes instinctive and can make your vacation much better. Not only will you feel better about your vacation, you will also leave behind people who will have a better impression of you and be able to have more meaningful experiences along the way. Responsible travel is a force for good considering the negative effects that tourism can bring, namely, strained resources that tourists leave behind, the sometimes negative effects of tourism on other cultures, and the environmental impact of commercial aviation. As travel destinations reopen for tourists, you need to prepare in advance so that you can make your vacation a green vacation. So how exactly do you go about greening your transport?
Use Public Transport
Despite the fears that public transportation is one big super-spreader event because of the closed spaces, crowds, and close contacts, public transportation is very safe. Studies using sophisticated contact-tracing technology in France, Austria, and Japan have not found a link between any COVID-19 clusters and public transit. Experts believe this is because we typically spend less time on public transport than we do in the office, at the gym, or having a leisurely dinner in a restaurant. Also, people tend to sit or stand quietly during their commutes so they are less likely to increase the number of respiratory particles released with each breath.
A positive side effect of Covid-19 is that it has forced many municipal authorities to work harder to clean surfaces in order to mitigate the risks of spreading Covid-19. Cleaning has been increased during overnight hours in cities such as New York, and seats are even being left empty because of the need for social distancing.
From a sustainability view, in the United States, public transport investments create 31% more jobs per dollar than new road and bridge construction projects, and support 430,000 jobs. So by using public transport you are also supporting economic economic recovery.
Cycling & Walking to Explore City Centers
Walking, running and jogging are some of the most simple and greenest ways to travel. Foot-powered transportation is one of the most simple and greenest ways to get around. Cycling, skating, skateboarding or using a scooter can get you even further. All of this through the simple use of one’s own feet and legs.
Foot-powered transportation soared during the Covid-19 lockdowns, largely from necessity and is apt for short journeys for essential tasks such as going shopping, to restaurants, and other such activities.
Some cities have developed extensive walking and biking infrastructure, even offering rentable bicycles. turned streets over to walkers and outdoor restaurant diners. So when you are planning on fun places to go with family, you should consider the walking and bicycle infrastructure of the city. This trend toward turning over streets to walkers, cyclists and outdoor restaurant diners, is not just confined to the United States. For example, Milan in Italy has converted 20 miles of streets to cycling and walking pathways. Many cities across the world have jumped on this trend in an effort to become greener.