Tell Me Tuesday: Trains, planes and automobiles – how are you cutting your transportation footprint?

In Canada, transportation accounts for some 30 per cent of our greenhouse gas emissions.  That’s a pretty significant slice of the emissions pie, and hopefully an area where we can make significant reductions.  Our Climate and Energy team is working on a new program on Electric Vehicles, which we see as an important way to help cut our transportation footprint.
Since I’d rather poke my eyes out than drive to Ottawa, I have two real options: flying or taking the train.  While flying takes just an hour, the train – a far more carbon-friendly mode of transportation – can take over five hours.  It feels like a lot of time to commit, especially when I’m often visiting for just a day or two.

(C) WWF-Canon/ Richard Stonehouse
But WWF’s policy dictates – as it should – that we take the train.  And I’ve actually found that it’s actually an incredibly good use of time.  Five hours with limited interruptions and distractions can be incredibly productive, especially for writing plans or articles (or blog posts).  It’s not that you’re losing five hours – you’re just using them a little differently.  And while I’ve found the WiFi on trains to be a bit inconsistent, my BlackBerry almost invariably works, so I’m as connected as can be.
So next time I take a person trip somewhere that’s train-accessible, it will certainly be my choice.  So I was wondering: as many of us travel to visit family and friends over the holidays, what steps are you taking to reduce your transportation footprint?