Unless you’re driving an electric car powered by renewable electricity sources, or are carpooling to work, chances are your driving habits produce more greenhouse gas emissions per mile than air travel. This is the conclusion reached by Michael Sivak of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, after factoring such variables as car/plane fuel efficiency, the average number of persons traveling per car/plane and average distances traveled. Yet another lens through which to assess the impact of our daily commute. On a more positive note, we may also enjoy a guilt-free summer trip—and still decide to ditch the solitary car commutes for a greener option when we return home.
If flying is greener than driving, what does that say about our daily commute?
More of Today's Solutions
Student Makers, a deeper dive: bringing free STEM to students on three contin...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM This article kicks off The Optimist Daily's Local Changemakers 2026 series, spotlighting changemakers 30 and under. It was ...
Read MoreMeet Vivian Ho: the 17-year-old who built a supply network around dignity, no...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM This article is part of The Optimist Daily's Local Changemakers 2026 series, spotlighting changemakers 30 and under. Most ...
Read MoreSperm-sorting tech identifies strongest swimmers to help couples conceive
In-vitro fertilization is certainly a potential avenue for couples who are having problems conceiving a child due to low-quality sperm. However, the unfortunate fact of the matter is that ...
Read MoreHow one Maine school is helping students heal in nature
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM At Morse High School in Bath, Maine, detention doesn’t always mean fluorescent lights and silent classrooms. Thanks to ...
Read More
