3 tips to save money and cut carbon on your commute

If you commute by car to work or study, you could turn it into an opportunity to help others and potentially save money as well. While low-carbon options like public transport or active travel would be first choice in an ideal world, for many people it may be impractical in rural areas where public transport may be infrequent. So if you’re driving, make the most of your miles as you commute with these simple tips to save money and cut carbon on your commute.

Give or get a lift

Share the costs and hassle of your commute by sharing lifts. You could find a lift-sharing buddy at work or your place of study by setting up a Whatsapp or Facebook group, or using an app like Kinto Join which is specifically designed to help people share lifts to work. There’s a Derbyshire carpool community and a Buxton carpool community on the Kinto Join app; download the app and search for the group you’d like to join. 
 
Note: The app is only available on mobile devices so please open the link from your phone, rather than desktop.

Be smart when charging your electric car

If you drive an electric car, you probably have a charger at home, or perhaps you use a public charger when you’re out and about, which can be inconvenient and more expensive. 
 
Co Charger is an app which matches homes with domestic chargers to people in need of somewhere convenient to charge their car. Hosts earn a small profit from the electricity sold and “chargees” have the chance to use a domestic charger which is likely to be in excellent condition, in a convenient local location and may be significantly cheaper than public chargers. Download the app to register as a host or find a host, ready to charge your car for the commute ahead.

Consider pledging to use public transport or active travel once a month

If it’s possible for you, why not pledge to use public transport and/or active travel (i.e. walking, wheeling or cycling) for your commute once per month? You could ask colleagues to join you and arrange to travel together. Every small action you take helps to reduce your carbon footprint, so a monthly “walking or cycling bus” or public transport pledge could help your workplace meet its climate change targets. 

Upgrade your commute with these simple options
 
Switch up your daily commute by making it work for you, and help others. Share your comments and questions on Facebook, LinkedIn or email travelgroup@hopevalleyclimateaction.org.uk
 
Discover more travel tips on our blog.

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