Want to be more environmentally friendly? Altering the way you travel is a great way to start treating the planet with a little more respect. Here are our top tips on how to make those journeys a bit more friendly to the earth…
1. Use public transport more
Now, as we’re Trainline, we love trains. But we swear we are not being biased when we say that train travel is the way forward when it comes to environmentally friendly travel. Our Carbon Calculator estimates that travelling by rail could cut your carbon footprint in more than half compared to travelling by car. For example, if you commute from Brighton to London, you’ll use just 10 kgs of CO2 compared to 40 kgs when travelling by car.
Opting for the train instead of cars and buses, or flights when travelling for business is a great way to cut down that carbon footprint. And on the note of business travel, arriving by train will (usually) put you in the heart of the city centre – rather than at an out-of-town airport – hence you’ll also be able to cut down your inner-city commute. Grab a bike or hop on a public bus or tube rather than a taxi and you’re good to go.
2. Switch to digital tickets
If digital tickets are available for your route (over 45% of routes on Trainline are!) then you can cut down on paper waste during your trip too. Digital tickets are QR codes that hold the same information as a paper ticket. Choose these when booking your journey with us and scan them directly from your phone, no need to print.
3. Invest in a travel mug
Another way to cut out unnecessary paper and plastic is to invest in a to-go coffee cup. Of the 2.5 billion coffee cups used per year in the UK, it is estimated that only one in four are recycled. It’s fair to say that most of us enjoy a coffee-to-go, switching to a flask or travel mug is a good way to stop contributing to the waste. Several large chains now also offer discounts to those who opt for their own travel cup. So it’s a win-win. Plus, no one has to know you opted for that chain café, rather than the hipster barista place you tell them that you go to…
4. Mind your waste
Coffee aside, breakfast and snacks are another way that you can kerb your waste. Bringing food from home in reusable Tupperware is the best way to go. But if you are in need of a Pret baguette or coffee, then do your best to recycle the waste. This may seem tricky, but many train operators are beginning to go green. Network Rail, for example, have incorporated coffee cup recycling bins in many of the UK's busiest train stations.