Enhance Public Transit
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, AP
Type: Articles/Websites
Subjects: Civics, Engineering
Authors: Project Drawdown
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This article assesses public transportation utilization as a climate solution, reporting that replacing individual vehicle usage in urban areas with existing public transport methods will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- This report provides quantitative data and evidence to analyze the fuel savings, consumer cost savings, and carbon emission reduction related to public transportation use.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The article presents a topic that should be familiar to most students, especially those in urban environments, and may prove quite relevant, especially for students who cannot afford a car.
- The article discusses the adoption of public transportation in different areas of the globe based on income and access.
Prerequisites
- Students should be familiar with greenhouse gas emissions from internal combustion engine cars.
- Teachers can use this interactive solution explorer to show students the rankings of solutions on the Drawdown website and make it easier to understand the relative impact of public transit.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Before reading the article, have students discuss their experiences with public transportation and how they think it could be a climate change solution.
- Be sure to explain the study's limitations, discussing that they did not account for the increased investment necessary in public transportation infrastructure and the assumption that those taking public transportation were previously driving combustion engine cars.
- After reading this article, have students record their weekly transportation and use Google Maps to investigate whether there are any viable public transportation options to replace any driving they may do.
- To investigate other climate solutions related to transportation, check out the articles on efficient trucks and hybrid cars.
This resource from Project Drawdown explains how adopting existing public transit infrastructure can reduce overall carbon emissions and save money for consumers. An interesting topic of discussion for more advanced students is how this model does not account for the additional infrastructure needs such adoption practices might entail. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
