Alterra Coffee and the Milwaukee County Transit System are teaming up to spread the word about environmental benefits of riding mass transit. Below are some facts on how choosing public transportation can help the environment and our community. Get on the bus the next time you’re heading out to one of our cafes!
• Public transportation saves more than 855 million gallons of gasoline a year. This number is equivalent to the amount of energy used to cool, heat and operate one fourth of all American homes each year.
• Over 200 million passenger cars and light trucks log almost 2 trillion miles on American roads every year. These vehicles are responsible for about 50% of all air pollution nationwide.
• For every mile traveled, public transportation is twice as fuel efficient as private automobiles.
• Americans use more energy for transportation than for any other activity. This amounts to nearly 43% of America’s energy resources. Public transportation can (and does) provide a way to reduce this number.
• Communities benefit from the fact that many individuals choose not to drive.
• Less congestion, better air quality and less overall fuel consumption.
• If Americans could achieve what Europeans have, with roughly 10% of their daily travel needs handled by transit, the US could reduce its dependence on foreign oil by 40%, or roughly the amount we import from Saudi Arabia.
• Soaring gasoline prices, global warming and potential constrictions in the global supply are part of our daily life.
Visit the MCTS web site to plan your trip, check route schedules and even use the “Cost Calculator” to determine how much money you’ll save by riding.
