The fact is public transportation offers an immediate alternative for households seeking to reduce their energy use and carbon footprints. Car transportation alone accounts for 55 percent of the carbon footprint of a typical American family with two cars. There is a potential carbon savings of 30 percent from eliminating one car and taking public transportation, which means riding public transit far exceeds the benefits of other ways that families go green, including using energy-efficient light bulbs or adjusting thermostats.

Now think about how riding public transit benefits the world. Human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, are causing global warming.  A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change lists several projected impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, more extreme weather, agricultural production changes, and water supply stress. The report concludes that carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gas emissions must be significantly reduced in order to avoid many of these disastrous impacts of climate change.  

National averages demonstrate that public transportation produces significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile than private vehicles. Specifically, bus transit produces 33 percent less.

Also, take heart in the fact that HART is doing its part to help the environment, too. In addition to hybrid buses that are part of HART fleet, more than half of the 530 HART shelters are lit by solar power, and all future shelters will use solar power!

Go green! Go HART!

What: 

Generation Green on Board Youth Summit

When: 

Application deadline is April 22 (Earth Day)

Youth Summit is June 25 - 29

Where: 

Youth Summit will take place in Washington, D.C.

Looking for something cool and green to do this summer? Applications are being accepted through Friday, April 22, to attend an all-expenses-paid trip to Generation Green on Board:  A Youth Summit to Advance Public Transportation in Washington, D.C.

The summit is hosted by the American Public Transportation Association and will be held June 25-29. APTA will select 50 students from across the country to meet lawmakers and congressional leaders, discover the range of exciting career paths within the transit industry and learn how public transportation is helping to shape a brighter future for everyone. The summit is for students who will be entering their high school junior or senior year in Fall 2011.

"This is a great opportunity to learn about an industry that is destined to be even more important in the future," said Dr. Steven Polzin of the University of South Florida Center for Urban Transportation Research.  "Public transportation offers career opportunities for individuals with a variety of skills and interests and most importantly, it offers the satisfaction of serving residents of your community by providing them with travel options." Dr. Polzin serves on the HART Board.

Completed and signed applications should be mailed by Friday, April 22, directly to APTA:

2011 APTA Youth Summit to Advance Public Transportation,

Attn: Cheryl Pyatt, American Public Transportation Association

1666 K Street, NW, Suite 1100

Washington, DC 20006

The application can be downloaded at www.apta.com/youthsummit