York Ready for Climate Action is always considering ways we can be more climate-conscious in our decisions. This month, we’re looking at travel!
We set out to create this monthly EcoHOMES action, assuming that airplanes would always be the worst mode of transportation for the climate and that driving a car would always be better. The truth is a bit murkier. For example, driving a non-efficient vehicle by yourself can actually be worse than flying if the plane is full and you live near an airport, especially if you take the carbon emissions of road repairs into account.
We learned that flying nonstop is much more efficient than a flight with layovers due to the large amount of fuel used for takeoffs and landings. Flying in a larger plane is more efficient than smaller, regional aircraft, especially when the plane is at full capacity. Keep in mind the space taken up by first-class seats makes upgraded travel less efficient.
However, you don’t have to drive an electric car or carpool with the entire office to see the emissions benefits of driving over flying. Two or more people traveling in a fuel-efficient vehicle, a hybrid or an electric car, are much more efficient than traveling by plane.
Bus and train travel are true efficiency winners. Bus transportation comes in as the most efficient way to get where you’re going, with train travel a distant second (in the U.S.)
In whatever mode of transportation, unless we’re driving an electric vehicle powered by solar energy, we are going to create climate-warming emissions. The farther we go, the more emissions we generate. With that in mind, we’ve created the following list of amazing, adventurous and fun vacation ideas that are close to home. Opting once a year for a regional trip like this, rather than a long-haul flight, can go a long way towards reducing our carbon footprint. We are lucky to live in an area so dense with exciting sights and beautiful scenery. Next time you are planning a getaway, consider staying close to home to get to know New England and lower your environmental impact.
Some fun locations to visit by fuel-efficient car with a friend or family member:
Home to Dartmouth College and tucked into scenic mountains near Quechee Gorge and Woodstock, Vermont, and Hanover, New Hampshire, makes a fun getaway for couples or families with children.
Also, in New Hampshire, explore waterfalls, breathtaking natural beauty and bountiful winter sports in the Crawford Notch and Mount Washington area of the White Mountains.
Visit the Mystic Seaport Museum and stay for a slice of Mystic Pizza in Mystic, Connecticut. Two hours and 45 minutes from York by car.
Three hours from York is Newport, RI, where you can tour a mansion, visit a museum, take a trolley tour, or enjoy scenic natural beauty.
Have passport? Will travel. A five-hour car trip can land you in Montreal, Canada, where you can explore all that this vibrant, international city has to offer.
Did you know that you can take the C&J Bus from Portsmouth to New York City? Taking the bus is energy efficient and saves you trying to navigate Manhattan by car. The journey takes about six hours and costs around $175 round trip. This bus is also a great way to get to Boston, with many trips per day.
The Amtrack DownEast goes as far as Brunswick, Maine, and leaves from Wells or Dover. Visit the Bowdoin College Museum of Art and the Harriet Beecher Stowe House. Amtrack stops in the center of town, and many restaurants, hotels and attractions are walkable from the station. Amtrak offers 50% off for children ages 2-12 and 50% off for seniors ages 65+, plus 15% off for students.
Where do you like to travel in our region? Share your gems with us, and we’ll put them on social media. Let’s get out and see the area and keep our planet-warming emissions in check. Bon Voyage!
Marina Mails is the executive director of York Ready for Climate Action.

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