Environmental Benefits
The GO2 Carshare Cooperative also aims to help reduce GHG emissions in the Bulkley Valley.
Personal vehicle emissions from cars, trucks, and SUV's are responsible for 35 per cent of all of Smithers' GHG emissions (Community Energy & Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, 2009). These emissions contribute to particulate matter that reduce air quality in the community. By establishing a car share in Smithers, we hope to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality, along with increasing the community's sustainable transportation options and providing financial benefits for our members.
We hope to reduce vehicle emissions in a few ways:
- By encouraging residents to join the cooperative instead of purchasing a second vehicle (that may only be used occasionally);
- By encouraging those who don't own a vehicle to join the cooperative instead of purchasing a vehicle;
- By encouraging residents with high-emissions vehicles to join the cooperative so that they can access a lower-emissions vehicle for longer trips; and
- Finally, we hope to reduce the number of single trips people make in their vehicles. By combining mulitple errands into a single trips, members will drive more efficiently and reduce the overall number of vehicle trips they will make.
