If a travel nurse or travel therapist is concerned about her carbon footprint, she may wish to consider a variety of ways to alter her daily habits and cut down on emissions. Densely populated areas may have trouble meeting federally recommended air quality standards due to the pollution vehicles create. By choosing a car wisely or altering travel habits, you can reduce your carbon footprint, which can greatly add up as commute time increases. On average, an American commuter traveled 25-minutes to and from work each day in 2009 or 50 minutes per day, according to the American Community Survey of the U.S. Census.
Here are a few ways to easily reduce your carbon emissions:
1. Purchase a fuel-efficient vehicle. The rising cost of gas makes buying a fuel-efficient car sensible for your commute and a sound future investment in general. Even newer used cars can offer exceptional mileage options that range from 24 to over 35 miles per gallon, which can greatly reduce the fuel you have to buy and the emissions the vehicle produces.
2. Maintain your car. Head over to the nearest air pump and make sure the correct measure of air is in your tires. Proper inflation alone can drastically improve your gas mileage, saving you a bundle over the course of a year and decreasing pollution.
3. Consider public transportation. By hopping on public transit, including buses, subways and commuter trains, you are limiting your individual carbon emissions. This helps make the footprint of the overall system greener due to the decrease in pollution per capita.
4. Bike to work. If you're close enough to work and have access to viable routes, biking to work can be an excellent commute solution. Not only will you save gas, but you will reduce maintenance costs, parking fees and toll expenses. According to Time Magazine, you may be able to save $5,000 annually if you bike to work.
5. Walk. Depending on the location of your housing and the hospital, you may be able to walk all or part of the way to work. Consider walking to the nearest public transit option that follows the route you require.