What does a sustainable commute actually look like? And how can I ensure that I get to work in a more environmentally friendly way? If these questions are buzzing around in your head, then you've come to the right place.
Exhaust gases that Air Pollution and to the Climate Change contribute, congested roads, traffic jams and stress. And all this before the working day has even begun. Fortunately, there are ways and means to avoid this - and at the same time protect your health. reduce ecological footprint.
In this article, I would like to show you briefly and concisely how you can get to work as relaxed and environmentally friendly as possible in future. Let's go!
1. use public transportation
How can you make your own commute more sustainable? By using public transportation, who also drive without you would!
Just use the Search function of the travel information service of Deutsche Bahn* or the Apps from the transport companies at your place. And get a monthly ticket if you can.
Of course, this tip is not feasible for everyone. But if you Bus, streetcar or underground and suburban train in your vicinity, you can usually get to your workplace quite quickly, safely and in an environmentally friendly manner.
Notice: Some people also fly to work by plane. Even if it is a means of public transportation, it is obviously not an environmentally friendly form of public transport. If your job requires daily flights, it is simply not sustainable.
2. ride your bike
The Cycling is healthy, cheap, flexible, space saving and apart from the production also climate-friendly. So if you have the opportunity, be sure to get on your bike more often. This is certainly one of the most important tips for a sustainable commute.
Don't have a bike? Whether classic bike* or E-bike*: Just take a look here at Fahrrad-XXL.de* um.
3. keep the distance between home and workplace as short as possible
This tip is pretty easy to say, but in times of Housing shortage in the cities and lack of jobs quite difficult to implement in large, rural regions.
But if, for example, you want to (environmentally friendly) move or Change of job If you have the opportunity and a sustainable commute is important to you, you can use it to keep the distance between your home and your workplace as short as possible. This circumstance also opens up the possibility of cycling to work.
So if the worst comes to the worst, just take a look at the relevant Real estate portals um.
4. walk if possible
A short commute opens up the possibility for probably the most sustainable wayto come to work: the Walk on foot!
No exhaust fumes, no CO2 emissions, no traffic jams and at the same time also lots of exercise! If you have the opportunity to walk to work, then you should definitely make use of it.
5. carpool
Are you dependent on your car for your commute? Then you should not sit alone in the car, so that the CO2 emissions for your journeys to and from work distributed over as many shoulders as possible.
Perhaps you know your colleagueswho ask for a similar route every day. It's also worth asking on your company's intranet. And then there are also some on the net Portals for carpoolingthat you can use.
Ultimately, carpooling makes the journey to work more sustainable and also promotes cooperation among themselves.
6. try to avoid the rush hours
Perhaps your boss is relatively relaxed about your exact working hours. In this case, you can also try, outside the Rush hours with congested roads there and back.
Through less stop-and-go traffic you reduce your car's fuel consumption and avoid unwanted stress at the same time.
7. drive your car as sustainably as possible
Those who have to travel by car due to a lack of alternatives have No "general excuse" for no longer having to pay attention to a sustainable commute.
Rather, you can, for example, use a Electric car prefer without CO2 emissions during use, Carpools form driving with foresight, the car during idle times of turn off more than 10 seconds, upshift early enough, the Check tire pressure and optimize or Reduce the weight of your car.
There really is a Cornucopia of possibilities, to drive a car more sustainably!
8. offer carpooling
You have a longer way to work and have to drive? Then you can save your trips with Carpooling portals like BlaBlaCar.com and specify through this sustainable behavior also save money or ingest.
Anyone who also wants to travel to your destination will pay a small, fair amount for you to take them with you. Of course you can also pay the Use offers from other drivers!
By the way, experience has shown that carpooling can lng-term car pools and friendships arise! A really valuable tip for sustainable ways of working!
9. reduce power guzzlers in the car
Air conditioner, Alternator, Radio or Rear window heating are very good examples of real power guzzlers in your own car. The air conditioning alone can increase fuel consumption in city traffic by up to 30 percent!1
Kurble instead in the summer Windows down when drivingif you want to change the temperature in your car. And simply look for unnecessary power guzzlers to reduce your car's consumption to a minimum.
10. try to avoid commuting to work more often
The most sustainable way to work is certainly the one that not even started will. This does not mean that you now have to Quit job but rather that you should work from home more often if possible.
Because the Home office is usually more sustainable, because the CO2 emissions for the journey are not incurred at all.
The coronavirus pandemic, at the latest, has certainly made many entrepreneurs eyes opened and showed that you can also Work effectively in the home office can.
Of course, not every job allows you to work from home. But if it is, don't hesitate to raise the issue with your boss. In the end, it's not only more environmentally friendly, but also saves you time and money. And even 1-2 days working from home per week will make your "commute" much more sustainable.
Sustainable commute? No problem at all!
Whether in the country or in the city, whether short or long, whether office or construction site: I believe that Some optimization potential for every commute in terms of sustainability.
And you don't have to cycle every day. Even 1-2 days a week with a more environmentally friendly means of transportation already makes a difference!
"Be the change that you wish to see in the world."
Mahatma Gandhi (more at Mahatma Gandhi Quotes)
We've talked a lot now about getting to work. But what about the job itself? Feel free to look at the sustainable job portal atIf you are eager for a change and would like to pursue a profession with added value for you, society and our planet.
Do you have any questions or valuable suggestions of your own for a sustainable way to work? Then feel free to send me a message in the comments.
Stay environmentally friendly on the road,
PS: Did you know that you can use your Offset CO2 emissions can? How this works, you will now learn in the linked article!
References:
- German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE): Klimabewusst Autofahren. https://www.nachhaltiger-warenkorb.de/themen/klimabewusst-autofahren. [03.02.2025]. ↩︎
