Posts Tagged ‘tips’

Special thanks to Jessica Gold for this guest blog contribution!

Travelling to and from work in a good way is not just about saving time. The Transportation Research Group SAMOT at Karlstad University has together with researchers from the Netherlands and Japan developed a standardized method for examining everyday travel´s impact on people’s well-being. According SAMOT’s study everyday travel stands for 11-12 percent of human well-being. That’s a lot.

How we enjoy everyday travel is more important to how we feel than, say, salary or if we are living together with someone. The study show s that the people who walk or cycle to work experience greater happiness and general well-being than those who are traveling by car or public transport. Moreover, the people who talks with someone else during the trip are happier than people who do not.

For more info visit, SAMOT and/or [in Swedish] an GP news article.

Again thanks to Jessica Gold

Happy health, well-being & Commute Greener!

I got an e-mail the other day from a guy that made me so happy. The e-mail started with a question regarding the Commute Greener solution and the possibility to use it without Facebook. I know that we have been pushing a lot for the new Commute Greener Facebook app  – and yes – it’s also possible to use Commute Greener without Facebook. Just go to www.CommuteGreener.com and sign up! But what made me happy was that guy wrote that he has changed his daily commuting to bus and to this….. 

“So fun in the city, going 3 to 4 four times quicker than walk, easy to grab and get into buses, and can ride to almost any reasonable track, pedestrian ways, unlike bicycles. Yesterday, I’ve been riding during lunch break –my usual time to go sport- for a good hour. No back pain as I got when jogging for years. You can choose to ride smart and cool, but can burn your heart as well !”

I am a bit crazy in bikes, have some…but I have missed this Finnish innovation- Kickbike! I have seen similar for children, but with very small wheels and dangerous to ride, at least for people like me…

And why not go by a Kick Spark this winter – i like!

Thank you Pierre for your inspiring e-mail and Happy commuting!

/Karin

Today we are celebrating Lucia in Sweden, and Commute Greener is doing that as well, of cource! Lucia is the bride coming with the light, a symbol for that days now are getting longer. 

Here is me as Lucia… and Henrik, our Solution Manager, as ”star boy”, with the traditionally cone hat with stars, a little bit to small but anyway… and saffron buns (hope you can see what they look like…).

Instead of white shirts we wear reflective vests to remind you that you can keep up biking, walking and running during the winter! Use it and you will feel more secure in the traffic….

We are also celebrating Commute Greeners two year old birthday today! During Lucia 2009 we were promoting Commute Greener during the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. And since then we have thousands of thousands users around the world, in Mexico, US, Sweden and a many other countries. Thank you all for doing Commute Greener such a success and your contribution to sustainable development!!

This weekend I was in Hemsedal, Norway, for skiing. One day I was skiing with my friend’s wonderful 9 years old daughter. We found an “adventure land” just outside the slopes, with a lot of jumps and bumps, narrow tracks between trees (ooops!!), big “mountains” from the snow making etc. After the first run she turned to me and said: “Karin, this was really fun”! and we were skiing there again and again and again and again… How can we make the change to a greener commuting so fun that we will do it again, and again, and again?? Do it as an adventure? Go to facebook and share your tip and you will have the possibility to win a Christmas gift from Commute Greener!

A wonderful morning in Hemsedal….

Happy Lucia and Commute Greener!

/Karin

The summer commute is actually quite easy. The bike is (or should be) the transportation option of choice and as long as the workplace has a shower and you bring a spare set of clothes it is really not such a big deal. Autumn on the other hand can become quite a challenge. The weather become unpredictable and cycling to work may not be such a natural choice anymore. Well it is for the hardcore cyclist, and hats of to you for peddling year around, but most people simply don’t want that. There are lots of other options to look at instead of driving though.

Public transportation is severely underrated. You walk for some ten minutes, hop on the bus/train and then you have some time to read the news, play with the phone, read or do whatever you do. It is a really nice way to commute greener. Another nice option is ride-sharing (another commute related option Commute Greener! can help you set up). A telecommute is another option, as mentioned yesterday.

Whatever option you choose, you got to prepare a bit. Driving is encouraging us not to plan ahead, it is just a matter of getting in the car and drive away. You can of course do that with a green commute as well, but planing ahead will save time and make the ride smother.SO here are some ways you can prepare for the autumn commute;

• Check bus timetables. Bus/train companies have a tendency to change them about now and not knowing the times can cause massive annoyances.
• Plan the route. If you are going to have to chain the commute you want to minimize waiting time.
• Make sure you have time in the morning so you don’t miss the bus in the morning. That can make you late, and that isn’t a good way to start the day.
• Bring a small umbrella in the bag. At least in Sweden rain comes without warning this time a year (ah who am I kidding, it always rains here).
• Have a couple of thin gloves in the bag/pocket. Especially mornings can be cold, then it gets really warm during the day.
• Get some entertainment. If you have an iPhone or some other smartphone then play with that, otherwise reading, drawing (on paper, not seats, windows or passengers) will make the trip feel much faster.
• Get some kind of sheath/protection for your book. I usually don’t and all of mine are water damaged/dirty/or outright grimy from wet and muddy commutes. I don’t mind but some people do.
• Find some bus buddies. Maybe by using our rideshare feature.
• If you share the ride with someone, be sure you are ready when they come with the car. Otherwise you may not be ridesharing the next day.

Not to difficult, right? This is basically just common sense but can go a long way towards making the commute smother and more bearable. By sticking to taking the bus to work instead of driving you are saving a lot of CO2 compared to if you are driving. You also help reducing traffic congestion and air pollution at the same time as you get some free time. So try it out. It will take a couple of weeks to get used to commuting this way if you are used to the freedom of driving, but when you do you will love it.

/

Fredrik

Hi guys!

It has been a while since last time we posted some tips on what to do on the commute, and the old ones are still valid. So of course I decided to reblogg our last entry. Enjoy!

So, you have decided to try commuting by bus. To let the car rest and try out the public transportation everybody talks about. Hopefully you have already done your homework and know a bit about the pay system and which routes that are the fastest. You get up in the morning.  And quickly realize a couple of things.

1. You have to plan your mornings to get to the bus stop in time.
2. While on the bus, you have some 20+ minutes of downtime.

This scenario isn’t uncommon. I mean, of course you aren’t used to downtime when driving to work every day. Driving a car require constant attention if nothing else. Listening to music or making a phone call can kill the time in long ques.

But on the bus, or commuter train/rail you just sit there. Therefore it quickly gets boring. Right?

I am amazed of how crafty transit-commuters are when it comes to occupying themselves. My favorite things to do on the commute include reading, listening to music, work, chatting with the passenger next to me or maybe doing a bit of surfing the net. I think it’s time to update the “what to do on the commute” list from way back. So without further delays;

1. Play with your smartphone. There are so many apps, games and opportunities. You decide what you like best. A tip from Magnus (managing director of Commute Greener!) is this one. And this is no surprise either I hope:)
2. Read a book. I don’t know how many hours and books my commute have devoured. May I recommend the Millennium series by Stieg Larsson (the books “the girl with the dragon tattoo” movie is based upon)
3. Catch up on the news. Yea, let’s move on.
4. Eat breakfast or get the morning coffee. Only if it is allowed though. If you have a long commute you can save some precious morning time by eating on the train/bus.
5. For all the ladies out there who like to put some makeup on in the morning; why not save some time in the morning and do it during the commute? Quite common, and I’m amazed with how the ladies here parry the bumping bus all the time.
6. Facebook or twitter the time away. Most people have a phone that can take it, so why not? Just don’t miss your stop.
7. Get to know people. Many are quite friendly, so why not discuss the news, or sports? If you commute with co-workers, why not getting to know them better? Or team up with other green commuters with our Rideshare feature.
8. Watch some youtube-clips, if you have a laptop or phone that can manage it. Hey if we have to drag all this technology along, why not use it.
9. Count cars with a single occupant, and feel smug when you glide by long car lanes in the bus lane.
10. Get some work done. Yea, it is boring but it passes time and may let you get home a bit earlier. I have never heard anyone complain about that.

Basic stuff. I bet you can find hundreds of things to do to use all that free-time. So Once again get to it. Keep commuting greener!

Fredrik

An interesting article was posted on grist.org yesterday. It discussed a new Swedish study from Umeå University which show that a long commute increase the risk of divorce in married couples. Now this isn’t happy news, but it is easy to understand why it might be like that. A long commute can really be tiering. Early mornings, late nights, stress and just general bad mood can really put a strain on any relationship, especially if both are having long commutes. In other words, if you are commuting long distances, make sure to find something either relaxing or interesting to do. Preferable both. And to avoid the commute all together of course!

Our own dr Magnus Kuschel working on the commute!

First of all, why not take the breakfast to the morning train? Why waste time on it during morning, when you got some 40+ minutes of dead time half an hour later anyway? The newspaper is another such thing which can be brought and read on the train. That way you save some time during the stressful morning and you get something to do for the morning commute. Every morning you can see women putting their face on during the train ride. As long as that can be done in a hygienic manner, why not? What really matters is to keep occupying oneself  with something that saves you time and which can help you get some more sleep or too stress off.

Another thing to do is to get your surfing done on the train ride. A smartphone or a laptop (notebook) or a wap phone gives some great opportunities and can cut time on those things during the evening when you want to spend time with each others. And you can adjust your Commute Greener! baseline while doing the surfing as well! Well, seriously, responding to mail, sending e-mails, facebooking, twittering and reading blogs or news of one kind or the other takes increasingly more time from us. That time won’t come out of our work time, or we get fired. It comes out of the evening. Why not get that out of the way and get cozy together with the one(s) you love and wind down instead?

Working from the train is another option, which can work out if you have the kind of job which let you do such a thing. Maybe you have reports to read and comment or write, power point presentations to make or check, information to take in etc. If you can work with that on the train it doesn’t always matter that you leave early, as you are still working. Just in another place. While on the move.

And then there is the telecommute option, if it is a possibility. If it is possible to work from home a couple of days/week, you not only save time and CO2, you can get the chance to sleep in a bit and get a rest from the daily journeys. Winding down and relaxing for a day/week can be a godsend, and make you more effective and less irritated, which in turn makes for a better relationship.

To summarize, a long commute can be a pain. With increased stress and irritation it can break relationships and make for a lot of negative things. So turn it around. Plan ahead. Make the commute into something positive, like getting out a bit earlier in the afternoon, surfing and doing “errands” on the computer/phone to neat you more time for relaxation later. Create time for yourself. It isn’t as good as shorten the commute, but it sure helps a great deal. At least in my opinion, and I used to commute some 220 km/day in total every day.

/

Fredrik

You know, many good things comes with a green commute. Last week I walked to and from work every day. A nice walk every morning  and every evening, which have led to great health benefits. I have actually lost almost 3 kg, almost 6 pounds, in one week. Granted, I am a big guy, so I have a lot to take from but still. But all this from simply getting out and moving by my own two feet. And guess what? I will keep at it, as long as the weather is somewhat nice.

We often focus on the bike commute when we discuss a green and active commute here on this blog, contributing alto to the possibility to collect Zero Emission Miles. That is mainly because so much is written about bicycling, and many are becoming aware of this great mode of transportation. The bicycle is certainly suitable for a commuting journey of medium length, while walking is more suitable for shorter distances. Still, if you have the time, try to walk to and from work for a week. It is really a great experience.

Environmentally speaking, I have saved some 2 kg of CO2 during my week of walking. I will have saved 9 kg after one month. The only reason the number is that small is that I usually take the bus, emissions are then some 40 g CO2 per passenger km (i.e. my portion) instead of driving a car. If I would have driven a large car during my regular commute, I would have saved 48 kg (40 trips of 5 km each at 240g CO2/km) in one month. That is like 48 milk cartons of 1 liter in CO2. Or simply, a lot…

But as I said, the environment isn’t the only thing which gains from a greener commute, especially an active one. I can in all honesty say that I feel great health improvements and have a lot of more stamina after having gotten into the habit of taking a morning walk. It wakes me up, give me some time to plan the day and get all irrelevant stuff squared away for the rest of the day. Summer have hit us with everything it has here in Trollhättan (the city in which I am working during May) and it is another great thing. However, the summer with warm weather means you have to prepare in a different way. After all, who want to get to work bathing in your own sweat? Here are some tips on how to make a walking commute easier, so you can continue to commute greener for better health, wealth (walking is free after all) and a better planet as you know;

• Get some good shoes. This is vital, the only really vital part of this list. Good shoes will make sure you don’t strain your back or injure your knees. Or feet. Get a pair of good shoes with support for the whole foot, and make sure they breathe. Smelly feet is NOT a nice thing. Even smelling your own is nasty, then think of your co-workers.
• Get a good backpack which distributes the weight of its content. Ideally you shouldn’t even feel the weight all that much while carrying your food, computer, writing material and other stuff.
• Choose what you wear wisely. Black is NOT a good color for a sunny day, no matter how stylish. I walked into that trap today, with a both wet and unpleasant result. Wide and lightly colored stuff is excellent for hot days.
• The morning is often much colder then the middle of the day, so prepare for that.
• A suit can be brought along, or kept at the office and changed into there.
• Plan your route. Is it possible to get away from car exhaust and noise?  Walking is very flexible  and you may be able to get around boundary a bike wouldn’t.
• Have a good amount of time on your hands. Stuff happens. Walking is slow. ‘Nuff said.
• Keep a bottle of water in the pack to stay hydrated.
• Bring some wet-napkins to dry of excess sweat and clean up at work in case you get a little sweaty.
• And last but not least, enjoy the nicest way to move from point A to B available!

Why not take the opportunity to try walking to work when the weather is nice and some time is at hand. Get in shape, get the opportunity to calm down and work out some stress and to prepare for the day while enjoying the benefits for the wallet in form of saved fuel, health and saved CO2!

/

Fredrik

So far this week we have discussed why a green commute is a good option. So I thought, let’s take it one step further; how do we make the green commute easier.

Changing habits can be a daunting task. If it wasn’t there wouldn’t be the abundance of diets, training methods, cures and so on. And it may be the same with out choice of transportation. After all, if you have driven to work all your life, and your parents and grandparents did the same, taking the bus or going on a bike ride might not feel all that natural. So, why not try to;

• Prepare carefully. Where is the bus stop, when do the bus come, how long time will it take (assume it will be late, just to be on the safe side), make yourself acquainted with the pay system, and count the  stops on the way. If you already know every step it feels calmer and less stressful.
• See above for the bike commute. Be sure to scout the route, look for less trafficked streets and make sure the bike and backpack functions.
• Get a good umbrella and/or proper rain gear. Being wet is not fun when you have to sit at the office for several hours. By the way, get some good winter clothes, especially shoes.
• Plan the commute with your meetings. If you have a very important meeting and are worried about being late and getting sweaty/muddy, then by all means drive. A green lifestyle should be easy and inspiring, not a prison. Adapt.
• Start with one day/ week and step it up. One day doesn’t seem that much, but it is still 20% of the weekly commute. 20 % is a significant cut. Step it up when you feel it is getting comfortable with your greener commute. On another side, your supervisor may accept being late once in a while (if you are lucky), but it is easy to get late if you don’t know the bike or bus route…
• Gather some friends/co-worker and make a competition of the greener commute. The one who changes the most wins a prize. (By the way, to all the head of departments who are interested in improving the environmental impact of your department; a fun competition with a prize may be a good way to go! This goes for many environment related things.)
• I have said it before, and I am saying it again, be sure to bring some kind of entertainment to the public transit commute. Maybe not the first time if they don’t call the name of the next stop though.
• If you are able, try a telecommute. It is really nice.
• And last but not least, learn Eco-driving. This is a very smooth way of driving that minimizes the fuel consumption and wear on the vehicle, ie. it lessens the environmental impact. Two ground rules is to avoid start stop driving (ie. plan far ahead) and drive on high gears.

S0. There were some tips on how to make the transit to a greener commute easier. I think we have a couple of other similar articles in our archive if you want more tips. The bottom line is that with some preparations anyone can green up the commute and save a buck or two in the process. So try it out. And by the way, if you have your own commute tips, don’t be afraid to share them, here or at facebook.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

I’m off

Fredrik

By the way, want to know more about Commute Greener! and how it works? Check our instruction and background videos at youtube

Winter has struck hard against poor commuters all around the world. It is cold. It is icy. Accidents happen and the rescue services have their hands full. Here in Gothenburg, Sweden, the medical clinics as well as hospitals had to focus so much on tending to broken bones that all non critical surgeries were set on hold. Ambulances are rushing everywhere.

In USA, Washington DC there were apparently some chaos recently with sudden frozen roads and several accidents. Can this kind of chaos be prevented somehow? Assuming that the authorities are doing what they should be doing, i.e keeping the roads in good condition with enough plowing and salting/sanding, and perhaps reduce the max speed temporarily, there are still lots of things a private person can do.

For drivers:

• Don’t drive too work! If the weather conditions are really bad and the streets are in really bad condition, check for other options. Is telecommuting possible during the bad conditions?
• Reduce speed. Any sensible person should do this anyway if the roads are slippery. After all, it IS safer that way.
• Check the tires. Winter tires are a godsend, whether it is the studded or friction based variant. If nothing else, fresh tires always offer better grip then similar old ones.
• Is it possible to take a less trafficked road? Less stress, lower speed, safer and hopefully less risky.
• A winter kit with battery cables, a small shovel, blanket, extra sh0ues/socks/sweater/gloves and a warm drink are always something to consider.

For bus/train riders

• bring a thermos with hot drink to keep the heat
• Attachable studded soles for the shoes can prevent accidents, as can Nordic walking/skiing sticks.
• Be prepared to get stuck on the bus or at the station. Is telecommuting possible if the conditions look bad? Or can you work on the bus/train? Bring entertainment of some kind anyway. Sitting without anything to do is not fun at all.
• Warm clothes. Enough said. More tips on this can be found here

A winter commute can be quite comfortable if you are prepared. The buses are usually not as stuffed as usual since more people drive, they are warm and actually quite safe, even in bad conditions. Trains are even more comfortable if you get a place to sit. So lets be careful, prepare well and endure the winter commute like pros. After all, getting to work is important, however you get there. Thinking ahead can make life more comfortable and reduce the risk of broken bones and huge delays.

You know what? Winter is upon us. This seems to always comes as a surprise to some people, which is funny considering we have snowy winters every year in Sweden. Yesterday the “great snow chaos” began, which is medias name for the first snow every year up here.

About 400 Swedes die from car accidents every year. That is quite a low number as Sweden’s roads are safe and most of the cars are quite new and safe, but in the last 48 hours there have been about 70 accidents. In a country with quite a harsh winter climate. Why does this happen?

Much of it probably lies in the lack of preparation. When the temperature is sinking towards the freezing, it might be too late to start thinking about winter tires. They make for a safer journey even if there is no frost or snow as they are better at redirecting water, thus giving a better road grip so why wait? That said, being unused to driving in reduced viability and on slippery roads is always dangerous. Lower speeds and a more careful driving style can save lives during the winter season.

This of course applies to all countries with a distinctive and cold winter season. These kind of accidents are unfortunately common in every country with snowy winters and are totally unnecessary. Preparation and some forethought can save your life this season, so why drag it out?

With both car commuting or mass transit commuting, or biking, winter brings some new difficulties and challenges. Be sure to be prepared this year. My favorite tips for the bus/rail commuter consist of;

1. Breathing clothes. Winter clothes are warm, and the slippery roads can make a short journey long. Sweating due to warm winter clothes are not a fun start any the day.
2. A thermos with something warm to drink. Nothing is as good as a warm cup of tea/coffee/chocolate during a long wait in the cold.
3. Gloves. Enough said.
4. Bring some kind of entertainment. I always do year round, but accidents tend to happen this time a year and the mass transit WILL run behind schedule when the first snow fall. Plan accordingly.
5. If possible, take an earlier bus. No reason getting stressed out over late buses and trains. And loudly venting your anger over a five minutes delay is not appropriate behavior towards the poor bus drivers. It is not like they WANT to run behind schedule.

But the main advise is to take your time. By leaving a bit earlier in the morning it matters less if the bus runs late or you have to drive at lower speeds (which is safer in the long run). But most importantly, stay safe. Reflexes, warm clothes, a mobile phone (with Commute Greener! of course), and winter tires for the car as well as the bike goes a long way towards an easier and safer winter commute. And remember that the floor will get wet in the bus, so be sure to bring a waterproof bag and to keep the feet of the seats!

How do you tackle the winter commute? Give us your tips and tricks here. Take care, and remember to Commute Greener!

Fredrik