Carpooling to the Grocery Store: Reducing Emissions Together
Everybody knows that carpooling is an easy way to cut down
on your personal carbon footprint and reduce traffic congestion. Cities around
the country know this too, and many provide dedicated space on freeways for
carpoolers, attempting to reward climate-conscious choices with a less congested
commute (Charlotte, NC, for example).
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| Typical carpool lane in Washington State Photo by WSDOT on Foter |
As I mentioned, we all need food to live. Why have multiple
cars make trips to the grocery store when the same goal can be accomplished
with just one?
To further explore this issue, I made a quick-and-easy
calculator to compute how much greenhouse gas emissions could be saved by simply
going to the grocery store together.
Many people at Ohio State who live in the University
District have mentioned to me that they really like the Kroger on Chambers Rd (I do, too). From my house in Columbus, this location is a 3.2 mile drive each way (6.4 miles
roundtrip). Lets say I live with 3 other people. If each time someone needs groceries
each person drives alone, myself and my roommates release roughly 136.8
pounds of greenhouse gasses each into the atmosphere every year (assuming we each visit
the grocery store 2 times a month), for a household grand total of 4*136.8 = 546.72 lbs. By
carpooling, we magically take 3 cars off the road! Therefore, instead of us each releasing 136.8 pounds of greenhouse gasses, our entire household releases 136.8
pounds in total, or 34.2 pounds per person. So, just by carpooling each
time, my hypothetical household can reduce our household’s greenhouse gas emissions by 102.6 pounds
per person, per year, give or take.
Check out the calculator here. Try it with your own info! This calculator assumes each
mile behind the wheel releases 0.89 pounds of greenhouse gasses, the figure
estimated by the EPA.
In my previous article on idling, I argued that unnecessary
idling accounts for more than 2% of yearly transportation related greenhouse
gas emissions. This calculation is based on the estimate that the average
vehicle emits around 5 tons of pollutants each year (EPA). However, this estimate is based
on the assumption that each driver puts 11,500 miles on their car each year. I would
be shocked if any college student got even close to that level.
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| Photo by I-5 Design & Manufacture on Foter |
Indeed, the Federal Highway Administration (2018) estimates that those aged 16-19 (the next age category is 20-34, which is too wide a range for this argument) drive about half the amount of the average American, or around 7,600 miles per year (the FHWA estimates the average American drives nearly 13,500 miles per year). I can’t imagine that this figure would be any different for, say, 18–22-year-olds, which is typical college-student age. Assuming that half the driving means half the emissions, the average college-aged driver releases 5.07/2 = 2.535 tons of CO2 eqiv (EPA). This means that under my hypothetical scenario, carpooling could reduce my emissions by 2% per year (102.6 lbs/2.535 tons). If I drive less than 7,600 miles (which I'm pretty sure I do), the saving potential could be even greater.
Just like idling, this is not a groundbreaking reduction,
but it is yet another simple way to reduce emissions by eliminating trips that
at least in principle are not necessary. Just reducing idling and carpooling to the
grocery store together can reduce emissions by somewhere around 4%, although this relies on the assumption
that those who are in college spend a similar proportion of
their time idling as that of the average American. And to me, I don’t see a
reason why this wouldn’t be true.
Obviously, this depends on where you live and which store you visit. This simple example shows a potential scenario. You may find that carpooling saves less emissions under your unique circumstances. But, as I've said before, every bit counts in the fight against climate change, and I encourage you to give it some thought.
I know that carpooling may necessitate some personal sacrifices. It will probably require you to set a specific day/time where you all grocery shop. But these minor inconveniences pale in comparison to the inconveniences of climate disaster. Plus, it gives you a chance to hang out with your friends, saves you money in gas, and if you’re like me (and hate grocery shopping), it might make the experience that much more bearable. My intent is not to tell you what you should or should not do. It's to give you the knowledge to make climate conscious decisions. This is just another easy way you can make a difference.
If you want to save even more, consider going to a closer grocery store! Choosing the Kroger on High Street would save me an additional 21.36 pounds per year under my hypothetical scenario. I for one am going to try and bike to my local store, so stay tuned for updates on how that goes!
Note: This last figure of 21.36 pounds was calculated using my emissions savings calculator. Carpooling to Chambers Rd releases 34.2 pounds per year, and carpooling to High Street releases 12.84 pounds per year. Thus, choosing the closer store saves 34.2-12.84 = 21.36 pounds per year.
Sources
Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle. EPA. Retrieved January 4, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle#typical-passenger
Federal Highway Administration. (2018). Average Annual Miles per Driver by Age Group. FHWA. Retrieved January 9, 2022, from https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/onh00/bar8.htm
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