It’s no secret that our lavish, care-free lifestyles are steering our planet into decline – we’re now starting to see the full effects of global warming, extreme weather, rising sea levels and droughts, just to name a few. Of course, we’re all trying to do our bit to reduce our impact, whether it’s following a vegan diet, switching to green energy, or simply vowing to buy fewer non-essential purchases on payday. Cars, however, are a commodity that many of us have grown to depend on, and unfortunately, they leak CO2 into our beautiful planet. With almost 40 million registered vehicles on British roads, our little country is having a large impact on the planet’s future, just through transport alone. Sharing your car with a stranger may seem like a slightly unconventional concept, but you could be doing the environment a big favour. The next time you have a long drive, whether it’s your daily commute or a weekend away, and you have a spare seat, consider that it could be filled with someone else who wants to make the same, or a similar, journey to you.
Liftshare (liftshare.com) is an organisation focused on reducing the number of empty seats on the roads, by helping people partner up and share their vehicles. Not only does this help to reduce traffic and carbon emissions, but it’s a great platform to earn a few extra pounds (or travel at a reduced rate if you’re a passenger), while making new friends. So, if you’re bored of sitting in traffic alone, or singing along to the same playlist, open up your car doors, and welcome a new face on board.
This could be colleagues on the way to work, a friend on a trip out, or a complete stranger who is going to the same festival as you. Opening your car doors to new passengers is a great way to connect with people from all walks of life who share the same goal of helping the planet and saving money. Membership, campaigns and communications manager, Laura Watling, tells us how the liftshare scene is growing, and how easy it is to get involved.