Staff Travel Month
"Hi, my name is Ketra and I work for Newlon Fusion as their Regeneration Project Officer. The challenge this month was to switch to low-carbon journeys to save money and to reduce carbon emissions. The biggest fact that stood out for me was that 25% of car journeys are less than two miles and that a typical 2 mile journey in a car is about 8-15mins. To me this meant that there was big potential for changing my actions to save money. This month I set about changing my transport actions and took on the following two actions:
Switch car journeys wherever possible to bike/walk journeys
I swapped two out of five of my regular short car journeys to the centre for a bike ride this month. Whilst cycling more I found that I was buying less as I didn’t want to have to carry lots around so I was prioritising what I needed to buy which saved me money! I also found that on the weekend I was avoiding traffic both to and from the centre.
I attended a 'free Bike maintenance session' held at John Scurr Community Centre, Limehouse,on the 27th March with the Eco Family, which I found really interesting as it not only focussed on general bike maintenance but also looked at safety aspects and how to optimise my bike safety and minimise bike breakdown to avoid costly repairs .
The weather this month has been warmer than the previous months and the days have been lighter for longer, so I found that I have been enjoying the challenge and finding it easier to fit into my routine. This action has certainly worked well for my short local journeys to run errands.
Follow Global Action Plan's energy efficiency driving tips and make sure your car is fit for travel
To make the most of my fuel tank I took action and followed a tip I received from Global Action Plan - I had a spring clean of my car and emptied my car boot to reduce the load, which improves the car’s efficiency and means that my fuel can go a little further.
This month I took the options wherever possible of switching to free transport - walking is both free and emission free, so I took up walking wherever possible to increase my savings. Walking is proven to increase mental health and well being. I feel fitter now but also find that short journeys that I used to make are now more enjoyable as I feel better about how I am getting there, I feel healthier and have found that I am increasing the distance that I cover over time. Walkit.com is the urban route planner; you can use it to find routes around your local area and the city. They will guide you as to how long it should take you and how many calories you’ll burn in the process. Walking rather than bus/car is definitely something that I will resume more in the coming warmer months, it’s easy, free and you see more of the world when you are not on the bus.
Conclusion
I have found that a little effort has gone a long way, I started out small, getting off the bus one stop early and I now find that I plan journeys to include a short walk. I really recommend walking to everyone and you will save money and feel healthier for it.
I have enjoyed this eco-challenge and hope to keep walking as part my everyday routine.
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