Battleground Earth

Take The Bus, Instead of Flying

Lloyd Alter, Toronto

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By Lloyd Alter
Toronto, Canada | Sun Mar 23 17:21:00 EDT 2008

Air travel may once have been glamorous and efficient, but it certainly isn't any more, and it isn't particularly good for the environment, putting out a lot more carbon dioxide per person than any other form of transport, high in the atmosphere where it does a lot more damage. A full bus is just about the most greenhouse-gas efficient way to travel, more so even than trains. Buses do not have the greatest of reputations, and the stations often do not appear to have been cleaned since the picture above was taken, but David DeFranza at Wise Bread says this is changing, and gives a lot of good reasons to look again at the humble intercity bus.

1. Cost: Fifteen bucks from New York to Washington? That is frugal.

2. Coverage: Buses go everywhere.

3. Time: Like with trains, short-haul trips can be faster when you don't have to travel to the airport, wait two hours, and then sit on the tarmac.

DeFranza concludes:

The humble bus is coming back as a cheap and friendly alternative to flying. With the environmental controversy, security and scheduling hassles, and increasing prices and safety concerns, why not give this old, budget travel standby, another chance?

::Wise Bread

Difficulty Level: Easy

 
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