Most Canadians live in urban areas, living with reliable public transit.
Almost all of Canada’s transportation accounts for Canada’s carbon emissions. We must be more sustainable with transportation.
Problems With Transportation
Transportation creates greenhouse gas emissions. Gasoline and diesel release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The increase in carbon and other greenhouse gases like methane, nitrous oxide, and hydrofluorocarbons are what’s causing the Earth’s atmosphere to warm, resulting in climate change.
It also affects the environment through the loss of land.
Wildlife habitat and farmland are affected. The runoff of oil and gas from vehicles damages the land.
It also causes environmental degradation. Wildlife and environments are being destroyed.
Health implications. Car pollutants harm human health. Diesel engines emit particulate matter. This causes skin and eye irritation and allergies, and fine particles get into the lungs causing respiratory problems.
Building A Green Transportation Network
Vehicles require energy like fossil fuels (natural gas, oil, and coal) to power up vehicles.
Vehicles cause pollution, impacting the environment, and lead to health problems. We need to have Eco-friendly transportation options like electric vehicles, public transportation, active transportation, and clean fuel standards to have a sustainable transportation network.
- Electric Cars
Electric cars are more efficient than gas-powered cars, and they also create less carbon pollution. Hybrid cars run on electricity. Hybrid cars convert energy to recharge. The cars emit less carbon compared to regular cars. Hybrid cars reduce health-threatening emissions. - Bicycles
Bikes are a great way of having sustainable transportation. Cycling is a great way to help reduce carbon pollution.Not only does it reduce carbon footprint but it gives you a good workout. The David Suzuki Foundation is helping to build safe bike lanes across Canada’s most populous city. Bike lanes will encourage people to ride their bikes instead of using a car.
- Multiple Occupant Vehicles
Multiple occupant vehicles reduce the number of cars on the road. This reduces pollution levels. Multiple occupant vehicles include buses, trains, and cars.
TransLink, Vancouver’s transit system, is planning to have faster buses, walking and cycling infrastructure, and shared mobility. - Green Trains
Governments are very supportive of green transportation. Trains are becoming greener. Trains have more green technologies.
Electric trains use third rail or overhead lines that store up energy like fuel cells and batteries. - Walking
Walking doesn’t involve any greenhouse gas emissions, so it’s better to walk to school, work, or go to the grocery store. It’s also free and gives you a good workout.
With electric cars, bicycles, multiple occupant vehicles, green trains, and more walking, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce the loss of land and environmental degradation.