Getting From A to B the ‘Green’ Way
By Editha
It’s normal that people prefer to get around by the fastest and simplest way possible. But, it doesn’t mean they’re travelling green. Everyday, especially in Indonesia, commuters usually travel from home to their destination by car. Private car. In Jakarta alone, there’s 13 million population and some families have more than 1 car. That’s a lot of awful green gases being pumped out of their exhaust fumes. Serious about saving this planet from global warming? Why not ditch your car and try another way of getting from A to B? How about…
Hop on a plane?
Airplanes use to tons of fuel and chucks out a lot of greenhouse gases everytime they fly. Their engines also dumps hot air and when that hot air mixes with the cold air in the atmosphere, it creates white lines that will eventually form clouds which certainly stop heat from escaping the planet and add to global warming.
Green rating: 0/10
Board a train?
Next time you visit the lush countryside or to another town, why not take a train? It is already being used for two hundred years and it’s still the greenest way to travel over long distances, about six times greener than planes. Some trains like the Shinkansen Bullet in Japan can reach 400 km/h and the TGV (Train Grade Vittense) in France, has a maximum velocity of 515 km/h, which holds the record for the fastest train till now, while the Mallard, a steam locomotive, holds the fastest steam record by about 220 km/h. (But don’t take steam trains, they’re quite dirty)
Green rating: 6.5/10
Get on the bus?
Don’t even think about those ordinary buses that burn fossil fuels, even those who use LPG (like some Busway buses). Some new buses can run on hydrogen gas alone. They run on a fuel cell, similar to ordinary batteries, where hydrogen and oxygen combine to produce electricity. The only exhaust is H2O, that is, water. Buses like these are called hybrid buses.
Green rating: 7/10
Ride a bike?
It’s a very green way of moving around and around this planet. They can run for very long distances solely from muscle power and a few drops of oil. They don’t even make any noise or mess. Besides, riding a bike counts as an exercise and exercise in very, very healthy indeed. All you have to do is to own a bike, train how to ride one, and recycle the old tires. Simple as that.
Green rating: 9.5/10
Simply walk?
From the dawn of human race it’s the greenest way of travelling and it won’t harm the earth, except if you trample some plants that is. Anyway, it’s very good for you with all the exercise and all you have to do is to drag your big bottom off the comfort your chair or bed and swing a foot forward. It’s even greener if you forget about any other transport and leg it to school.
Green rating: 10/10
Conclusion:
Get your buttocks off that comfy chair and start walking!!!
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1 comment:
Interesting article here. Profound. I'd like to add to it anyways.
I don't believe that the ratings are necessary possible in our modern world. Logically, per time of travel, airplane is the worst for the environment in terms of the greenhouse gas produced. However, look at that from a different point of view; distance traveled, flexibility (fast), or the resources available.
Fly is not green at all? Well, not really. Airplanes are creating greenhouse gases, yes I know. But by the presence of airplane, it makes everything flexible, fast, especially in this modern world. See... if we compare that to train, or bus, that you said have much better green rating than airplane, then put it this way: a guy wants to travel from Germany to China. He has options; airplane, trains, or buses (as Germany and China are in the same land). If he is smart enough, he would take the airplane, a day flight or so, and arrived safe and in shape. Now let's say he's a dumb ass; take a train or bus, spent a million year to reach to get into China, and arrived there in shape of a zombie. Question: which transport creates more greenhouse gases? How flexible are taking public transport for long-distance? And how comfortable are using the airplane (the so-called 0/10 green rate) compared to trains and buses?
For public transport, especially in Indonesia, it's not necessarily our fault on not riding that. Who to blame? The government, no question. Look at how they organize the Transjakarta. The tram plan failed. The comfort you can get, a very low level. The trains function, but was not at the highest maintenance could have been applied. They say, ‘we are going green!’ Right, I’m surprised when I saw the streetlights around Thamrin were lit on at 5 in the afternoon. Hello, I can still see where I am standing! Is this what you call as ‘green’? Back to public transports in Jakarta… right, government really should think about what-they-say-going-green and fixing that public transports that can actually make Jakarta greener. However, look at what they are doing right now. The Pornography Act – what on earth are you doing for goodness sake? There are A BILLIONS more things to fix in Indonesia rather than legalize this unnecessary law.
In conclusion, back to the article, you have to like… create comments that you look from different point of views (the airplane v trains from Germany to China example) rather than just one point of view. And yeah, being green in Jakarta is nearly impossible, as the public transports right now just insufficient to actually encourage people going green.
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