At The People’s Climate March, a dramatic display of political engagement and international solidarity, people all over the world participated in what has been recorded as the largest organized march for climate change in history. An estimated 400,000 marchers came out in New York City bearing loud voices and colorful banners, along with another 270,000 at related events worldwide. They excoriated our world leaders for not doing more to stem the tide of global climate change and raised a unified voice of hope for a brighter future, that human cooperation and ingenuity will be able to solve the greatest issue of our age.
Naturally, we here at ParkJockey took a step back to reflect on the state of our environment and what we could do to help make the world not only a more convenient, but a more sustainable place. As every driver knows, parking is huge issue, especially in urban areas. What most people don’t know, however, is the serious environmental impact of cruising for parking.
In 2008, Transportation Alternatives conducted a study on driving habits on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and the results were nothing short of astounding. After doing a close survey of a 15-block area on Columbus Avenue, Transportation Alternatives found that, on an average outing, an Upper West Side driver logs about .4 miles (.7 during peak hours) on their odometer. While that may not seem like a lot, cruising for parking adds up to 366,000 miles per year on the Upper West Side alone. That is enough to drive around the world almost 15 times!
Perhaps the most distressing statistic from the Transportation Alternatives’ study reflects the environmental impact of looking for parking. The tiny sliver of Upper West Side drivers looking for parking generates about 325 tons of Carbon Dioxide pollution per year. To put that number in perspective, New York City would have to plant 64,000 trees to offset the carbon footprint of those 366,000 miles.
ParkJockey wants to invite all New York City drivers to become a part of the global solution for climate change. There is a lot we could all be doing in our every day lives to help the environment and by using ParkJockey to book your parking ahead of time, you will not only be enjoying an extra convenience, but you will actually be doing your part in lowering the global carbon footprint. The days of cruising for parking are numbered; the future is one where we drive exactly where we need to go; no more, no less, and no waste. We here at ParkJockey see no reason why New Yorkers should waste their time, hard earned money, and gasoline looking for parking when an easier, cheaper, simpler and, above all, greener solution is here.
Get started with ParkJockey today by using the promo code GREEN to save 10% on your first booking!
