How you choose to travel has a big impact on your carbon footprint
Reduce your carbon footprint when you drive, fly, commute and plan your trips.
IMAGE COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MTA
Trains
Bedford has access to public transit buses and trains. We encourage our residents to take advantage of Metro North Railroad in Bedford Hills and Katonah. Metro North can connect you throughout Westchester, straight into Grand Central Station. The Hart bus can connect you to Ridgefield!
Buses
The Bee-Line transit buses stops in Bedford Hills and Katonah and can connect you throughout Westchester. Additionally, the Hart bus runs between Ridgefield with a stop in Lewisboro over to the Katonah train station.
Try biking in Bedford. Bedford2030 has put together a biking map of the main through streets that connect the hamlets as well as to neighboring towns. The map includes speed limits, roads with shoulders and the locations of bike racks.
If you have a suggestion for a new location for a bike rack, click here to let us know.
It’s time to transition Bedford Central School District and Katonah Lewisboro School District to Electric School Buses
Why?
- They’re healthier – They don’t expose riders and the public to harmful carbon monoxide fumes which cause asthma, cancer and heart disease (more on the health issue here)
- They’re safe – Built and tested by the same standards as any other school bus on the road.
- Save money – Switching from a diesel bus to an electric bus can reduce the fueling costs of a vehicle by over 40%
- They’re quieter – So the bus driver can more easily communicate with the passengers
- Their batteries can be used as back-up in the event of a power failure
- And they’re as environmentally friendly as the energy source used to charge them!
Sign our petition to support electric school buses in Bedford and learn more with our Electric Bus FAQ.
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE PIXABAY, PEXELS
Air travel requires an incredible amount of fossil fuel, but sometimes flying cannot be avoided. If so, consider calculating the carbon impact of your trip and purchase carbon offsets to balance out your environmental impact. Purchasing offsets means that you help fund a project that sequesters or conserves carbon equivalent to the amount you used.
Be sure to look for a project that has been verified by a third-party and certifies that units to offset carbon are only sold once (see below for links). Also check that the project would not otherwise be required (by law, for example) to be built without this investment.
Remember that you can also offset carbon impact from your home and yard practices until you fully transition to zero carbon living.