http://images.businessweek.com/ss/05/08/environment/source/4.htm

According to the American Public Transportation Association, “the transportation sector produces one-third of greenhouse gas emissions in the united states.” This means that being concerned about the future of our planet includes being concerned with how you are getting around. One option might be moving closer to where you are travelling to, but you might want to consider the alternative forms of transportation in our modern city. Luckily, this is Boulder, where we have great alternative methods of transportation such as B-cycle, the regional bus system, and eGo carshare.

B-cycle

There are over thirty Boulder B-cycle bike stations in the city of Boulder.  Its easy to get anywhere you need to go in Boulder using the B-cycle system. According to Boulder B-cycle’s website the membership to Boulder B-cycle also works for seventeen other cities that use the B-cycle system with no additional charge. It’s a good time to get involved with B-cycle. In fact, the home page on their website also mentions that incoming CU students could be “eligible for a free boulder b-cycle annual membership”.

Buses

The regional bus system offers invaluable services for local people trying to hit the slopes, as well as individuals seeking a more affordable commute. CU students have their very own bus that leaves from campus for the ski resorts and everybody can take the Ski-n-Ride bus that goes to Eldora. The Ski-n-Ride also takes the trip every day in the winter sports season and offers frequent trips throughout the day.  If you are going to a different mountain, there are other buses and connecting buses that only take a single transfer. According to Regional Transportation District’s website, there are transfers to other ski resorts available in “Broomfield… Denver, Lafayette, Longmont, and Lousville”.

CarShare

Car Sharing allows for the option of having a car to use whenever you need an automobile, but without being the owner of a car. According to their website, eGo CarShare has more than forty locations in the Boulder and the Denver areas alone.  They also offer over twenty different options for cars to make sure you can choose a car designed for what you want to do with it.

http://www.geekinsydney.com/841/car-sharing-in-sydney/

“A single person, commuting alone by car, who switches a 20-mile round trip commute to existing public transportation, can reduce his or her annual CO2 emissions by 4,800 pounds per year, equal to a 10% reduction in all greenhouse gases produced by a typical two-adult, two-car household. By eliminating one car and taking public transportation instead of driving, a savings of up to 30% of carbon dioxide emissions can be realized”. (APTA)

In order to save money and reduce individual greenhouse gas emissions, consider the alternative forms of transportation in our modern city.  Being concerned for the future of our planet includes being concerned with how you are getting around, and there is also a significant amount of money to be saved.  For local travel, regional travel, and even to go skiing, there is a way to make it happen without owning a car.

For more information:

http://carshare.org/what-is-carsharing/

Click to access greenhouse_brochure.pdf

https://boulder.bcycle.com

http://www.rtd-denver.com/skiNRide.shtml

Corey Blum Director of Sustainability