Long lanes of cars, traffic jams, and multi-laned highways have become the norm of modern-day living, especially in urban areas. If you’re a little isolated from that kind of noise and pollution, then it is likely that you drive every now and then to get your groceries and visit the people you love.
Car sharing is one way to meet sustainability goals.
This perfectly logical solution has only gained traction in recent years, but it holds so much promise that more are likely to jump on the bandwagon. To help you take this eco-friendly step, here are a few insights that make car sharing the future of sustainable living.
Cutting back on Consumerism
So many families own more than one vehicle. In a way, cars are no longer considered a luxury, so we’ve started purchasing them even when we don’t need them, getting newer models even if the older ones are in perfect order. Car sharing helps us change our consumeristic ways and turn to a more sustainable way of life.
Reducing and Eliminating our Carbon Footprint
Using a car in any way, shape, or form means emitting harmful substances into the air, which is a crucial issue for people who want to lead carbon-neutral lives. Car sharing already cuts your carbon footprint significantly, but you can also look for local car share companies that partner with carbon offset projects, making them carbon neutral.
That way, even if your car of choice does emit carbon into the atmosphere, you can rest assured that the business owning the vehicle invests heavily in carbon offset initiatives. Sharing as a habit will also greatly impact how we perceive cars, so we’ll turn to other eco-friendly ways to move around, be it walking, cycling, or using electric scooters.
Slowing Down Urban Expansion
Fewer cars on the road mean less traffic, which will reduce the need to expand our roads and urbanize vast natural spaces for people’s travel needs. So far, increasing infrastructure has been the only way for governments to reduce congestion and allow people to move around freely.
Reducing that number significantly will dramatically help governments reduce expansion and urbanization. In developed parts of the world such as the US and Australia, this will free up a large portion of the budget for other vital sustainability initiatives.
Reducing the Use of Fossil Fuels
The use of fossil fuels such as oil and gas in the automotive industry has polluted the environment and contributed to the climate crisis. However, we now have access to modern, reliable hybrid and electric vehicles. While these cars are typically more costly and call for specific maintenance, sharing a vehicle and maintenance costs with others can make it more affordable to go green.
Overall, by enabling a greater use of eco-friendly cars, will reduce high demand for fossil fuels.. Car manufacturers will evolve their makes and models to meet this new demand for sustainable cars, allowing us to phase out fossil fuels altogether.
Making other Eco-Choices More Cost-Effective
Some sustainability and climate change initiatives are grandiose, and they require core changes in our infrastructures and governmental policies. That, however, is not the case with car sharing. In fact, this choice exemplifies how affordable and cost-effective the decision to be eco-conscious can be, for both the individual and the community.
Car sharing is a perfect way to introduce more people to other, equally relevant choices that enable us to lead sustainable lives. Car sharing helps us cut costs of car maintenance, ownership, accompanying paperwork, and it makes it easier to invest in other sustainable choices such as solar panels, energy-efficient lighting, water-conserving faucets, etc.
From turning to sustainable fashion choices and supporting local food businesses, sustainability starts with our everyday decisions and small changes in how we behave. That includes our decision to share cars instead of overburdening our already busy streets, and allowing mother nature to be restored while we minimize our carbon footprint.
The long term impact of car sharing has yet to be seen, but it’s one of those decisions you can make today and make a difference for future generations, as well. Plus, car sharing can be used an opportunity to set an example in your community and lead the way into a less polluted, eco-conscious future.
