One of the most significant factors contributing to the carbon footprint of college students these days is transportation. We all know that travel the way we’re used to it usually involves the burning of fossil fuels and the emission of carbon dioxide. Like everything else, we’ve become addicted to fast and (not always) easy travel. We all know that air travel is bad for the environment, worse than other modes of transport, considering the height at which the plane is emitting the carbon dioxide directly into the atmosphere. For a large percentage of the Amherst student body who live outside of New England, air travel is the only mode of transportation considered to get to and from school. But, what if we decided to change that?

There are several ways to decrease our carbon footprint created by air travel. One way is to monetarily offset your emissions by purchasing carbon credits which are then used to fund emissions-reducing projects. The problem with this method is that it doesn’t decrease emissions directly. In my opinion, this creates more problems than it solves; it allows people to believe that these “actions” are making a difference when really we should be thinking about what conscious decisions we can make to minimize our carbon imprint. The aviation industry is looking into new ways to make flying more environmentally friendly, but the point is, can we wait for what they may or may not ever find? Rather than wait for technology to solve all of our problems for us, I propose another idea -

This year, make traveling home for Christmas an adventure. See a bit of the land that you pass over when you board a plane and fly 35,000 ft above the Earth’s surface. Traveling by train grounds you in your surroundings and allows you to understand the full extent of the distance you are covering. You can walk about as you please and order meals and get off for a stretch at passing train stations. You never know what interesting character may be sitting next to you for half of your trip, or what funky towns you’ll pass through.

What if Amherst College paid the difference between a plane ticket and a train ticket, to encourage riding vs flying? Would you do it?

I propose that Amherst College students lead the way in shifting our travel tendencies. We have the power to make an impact, or at least lessen our impact. In light of our current energy and economic situation, it makes sense for the government to invest in our railways, which they are doing, to some extent. Still, Americans could do more to show their support for alternative travel and, in doing so, make a conscious move towards sustainability.