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Talking the Talk, and Walking the Walk…reThink
Style!
According to the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT)’s recent reThink
survey, eighty-two percent of people in
Central Florida drive to work alone every
day. When you commute with others or use a
method of transportation other than your
car, you are helping to reduce the 1.3
million single-occupancy vehicles driven
daily at peak times on Florida roads. In
turn, this improves air quality, clears up
traffic congestion, conserves natural
resources, and enables you to save money. If
that eighty-two percent used an alternative
mode of transportation at least once or
twice a week they would be deducting from
their carbon footprint and would be
contributing to a cleaner environment.
However, these are only a few of the
benefits that accompany the use of
alternative transportation methods.
I have recently begun to change my own
transportation behaviors by registering with
FDOT’s reThink program; a commuter
assistance program that is dedicated to
promoting environmental health by
encouraging healthy alternative modes of
transportation, such as walking, carpooling,
and transit. What I found in my attempts at
these different forms of commuting is that
each one offers not only the chance to
improve the environment, but also the chance
to experience unique opportunities that are
not available when you drive alone to and
from work.
After registering, I first decided to try
walking to work. My focus was on the idea of
living more sustainably by doing so, but
when I finally began my first walk to work,
my focus shifted to noticing all of the
little things that I had missed before by
just driving by. I was introduced to the
wildlife that inhabits the areas between my
home and my workplace; it was interesting to
see so many different species of birds,
mammals, and plants coexisting in such a
narrow range. I also encountered many of the
people who live in that space between work
and home, and finally know the names of some
of my neighbors! Not only that, but after so
many walks to and from work, I began
noticing how much healthier I started to
feel afterwards, both physically and
mentally. Having a breath of fresh air is a
wonderful way to start and end your day
since it allows you to prepare for the work
you are about to accomplish, and also allows
you to unwind from working diligently,
thinking back through your day and planning
for the next before coming home to relax.
Walking is not the only alternative to offer
unique experiences. Carpooling and transit
allow you to commute more sustainably while
enjoying the company of others who are doing
the same. I now walk to work almost every
day, but occasionally I carpool instead.
I’ve found that this mode of transportation
is most effective before and after a day of
projects and planning, simply because it
allows you to bounce ideas off of the other
people in the vehicle, even if they are not
in your particular line of work. A fresh
perspective is always useful! Another way to
gain fresh perspective is by transit, which
is another reliable, inexpensive way to
travel. I found that riding a Votran bus to
and from a desired location can be an
exciting opportunity to meet new people, to
network, and to get to where you need to be
in a reliable, timely fashion.
Using alternative modes of transportation
reduces the number of vehicles on the road
and provides us with a means of improving
our environment, but it can also help us to
improve our health and our everyday lives as
well. I would recommend registering with the
reThink program to anyone and everyone,
based on the wonderful experiences I’ve had
through walking and carpooling to work, as
well as using the transit system. You could
experience amazing opportunities as well;
all you have to do is reThink your commute!
If you are interested in free registration,
or simply want more information, please go
to
www.rethinkyourcommute.com!
Brooke Deak, Environmental Management
Energy tips
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| Air
Quality Protection
Volusia County
has…reduced our air pollutant emissions
by phasing in the purchase of hybrid
vehicles, purchasing ethanol E-85
flex-fuel capable vehicles, purchasing
hybrid-electric diesel trucks, and
switching to ultra-low sulfur diesel
fuel. These efforts significantly
reduce harmful green house gas emissions.
At
home you can . . . reduce your carbon
emissions and while doing so save money at
the pump by keeping your tires inflated,
Get
your engine tuned up and keep your
tires inflated -- both help fuel
efficiency. If all Americans kept
their tires properly inflated (and a
government study shows that many
don't), gasoline use nationwide would
come down 2 percent. A tune-up could
boost your miles per gallon anywhere
from 4 to 40 percent; a new air filter
could get you 10 percent more miles
per gallon.
More air quality tips
Air quality links
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Phantom
electricity likely is taking hold of your
electricity bill around the office and in
your house. Phantom - or vampire -
electricity is the little bit of energy used
by electronics even when they are turned
off. The biggest culprits in your home are
televisions, coffee makers, radios and the
microwave. Around the office, these power
phantoms include cell-phone chargers,
desktop printers, computers and copy
machines. Unless you unplug all of your
electronic devices after use, phantom energy
loss probably is costing you nearly $100 a
year. 
Volusia
County has committed to protection of
native habitat through the 