Get yourself there!

Making green choices in transportation is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make a big difference towards a sustainable lifestyle.

The down and dirty:

Cars are the largest source of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. Each day Canada’s 14 million cars lead to:

• Greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. A recent study found that over 45 per cent of Canada’s habitat could be lost by the end of this century due to climate change.
• Premature deaths of up to 16,000 Canadians each year. Tens of thousands more suffer from respiratory ailments such as asthma that are associated with and aggravated by air pollution.
• More smog days coupled with more heat waves.

How you can clean up your act:

	WALK	BIKE	CARPOOL/ TRANSIT
SPEED UP!	It only takes 10 minutes to walk 1 km!	For trips up to 10 km in the city, cycling is often the fastest option!	Read the paper, catch up with friends, do work, or nap on your commute!
MONEY MATTERS!	No more gym: 30 minutes of walking burns up to 150 calories for a 125 lb person and 235 calories for a 196 lb person	It costs $7500/ year to own a car compared to just $500 for a bike	A family can save about $586/ month in auto expenses
SHAPE UP!	Reduce your chance of heart disease by half by walking 30 min/ day. And just wait for the benefits of better memory, improved mood, and improve brain power!	Cycle free of obesity, adult diabetes, and heart disease	Improve air quality and decrease your stress level: it’s a win-win Here’s a really interesting article on stress related to driving: Dealing with Stress and Pressure in the Vehicle

Still curious? Here are a couple of quick links to get you started:

• Transit Authorities Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria
• Text your bus stop number to 33333 to find out when the next bus comes in Vancouver!!
• Check out the Commuter Connections Society
• Figure out your savings with the Carpool Calculator
• To search for commuters in your area use the Carpool Tool

So get your green on! Jump to your feet, hop on a bike, or bounce onto one of our big blue buses!

THIS WEEKS CHALLENGE!
We’re looking for the best environmentally-minded action shot. How do YOU get from A to B?  Post your picture to the IEGB Facebook group. The best picture will win a Cooking Companion Basket that includes: 1 signed copy of Barbra Jo’s International Bestseller Tin Fish Gourmet Cookbook, 1 artisan chocolate bar from Cocoanymph, 1 gift certificate to Terra Breads.

*For a chance to win a green prize any day of the week in November send me an email with ‘IEBG’ in the subject or, sign up to the IEBG Facebook Group.