The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) urges Americans to go green on Earth Day and throughout the year. Commuting on public transportation can reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by 4,800 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year. An individual switching to public transit can reduce his or her daily carbon emissions by 20 pounds; that’s more than 4,800 pounds a year. This is more than the combined carbon emissions reduction that comes from using energy-efficient light bulbs, adjusting thermostats, weatherizing one’s home, and replacing an older refrigerator with a high efficient refrigerator.
“In total, Americans using public transportation reduce our nation’s carbon footprint by 37 million metric tons annually,” said APTA President William W. Millar. “Imagine how much, much more carbon savings there would be if there was greater investment in public transportation from local, state, and federal governments.”
Instead of spending his Earth day out in the wilderness, Vice President Joe Biden held an event at a bus depot in Maryland. He was announcing a plan to spend $300 million in stimulus funding for clean-fuel buses. While the money for this program was buried in the stimulus plan, Vice President Biden was seemingly excited to introduce the green mass transit program to the crowd in Maryland. The event marks the second time in one week that the Obama administration brought transit policy to the fore.
See the video on NPR’s The Takeaway.