Travel
Travel is the most polluting area of your carbon footprint and on average accounts for 27%, this includes things like vehicle fuel, pollution from making the car, personal flights, ferry crossings and cruises, as well as trains, buses and other transport.
In Wyre, our road transport is one of our major sources of pollution.
What can you do?
- Cut down on flying - flying accounts for approximately 9% of an average individual’s carbon footprint in the UK, so cutting down on how much we fly can make a big impact. Instead, spend your holidays closer to home or consider taking the train if you go abroad. If you have to fly, book direct flights to limit the additional emissions released from take off and landing.
- Holiday by train - taking the slow route and enjoying the journey is half the fun of holidaying by train. Visit the Interrail website for discounts (children up to 11 travel for free). The Man in Seat 61 provides detailed advice and deals for travelling by train in the UK and across the world, and Byway Travel agents offer flight-free holidays by sustainable travel experts.
- Go car free - when taking short journeys, try to walk or cycle if you are popping to the local shop, this is better for your health and the environment.
- Use public transport - the government have capped most bus fares at £2 until 31st December 2024, check if your bus route is eligible and try it out.
- Drive efficiently - driving at a slower speed and taking care to accelerate and decelerate more gently can cut a third off your fuel consumption. This not only reduces emissions, but saves you money, makes you safer and keeps our air cleaner. Newer cars with smaller engines are often more efficient, with reduced road tax.
- Ride a bike - riding a bike not only reduces carbon emissions but is hugely beneficial for your health. Investing in an electric bike allows you to travel twice the distance, whilst using only a tiny amount of electricity compared to a car. Visit our pages on cycling in Wyre for more information.
- Car share - see if you can reduce the carbon footprint of your travel to work or on a long trip by using a platform such as Liftshare, to share your journey with others on the same route.