Earth Day, April 22, serves as a reminder for Lane Transit District (LTD) and the community to consider their parts in supporting sustainable practices.
“LTD is focused on reducing greenhouse emissions and implementing numerous water and energy conservation practices into its daily routine,” says Aurora Jackson, LTD general manager. “We’re doing our best to provide assurance to our community, stakeholders, and employees that our practices and services are environmentally friendly.”
Guiding LTD’s environmentally friendly practices is its robust Environmental and Sustainability Management System (ESMS) program. In 2015 LTD was certified as one of 13 transit agencies in the country, and the only transit agency in Oregon, to achieve the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) 14001 Standard for its ESMS program. LTD also attained Silver-level status under the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Sustainability Commitment and is locally certified in the BRING REthink program.
The practices defined in LTD’s ESMS helped save nearly 500,000 gallons of water in 2015 by simply changing its bus washing procedures. This summer, LTD will be adding five electric and five hybrid buses to its fleet. In the current fleet of 110 buses, hybrid vehicles already make up half of the fleet. Additionally, LTD has installed more than 25 solar-powered lights at bus stops and shelters, reducing the District’s independence on traditional electricity sources.
LTD encourages the community to make environmentally friendly choices throughout April in celebration of Earth Month. One easy way to help protect the planet is to choose active and sustainable transportation by leaving cars at home, and instead, taking the bus, riding a bike, carpooling with co-workers, or walking for shorter trips. Even reducing car trips by connecting errands with school drop-offs and pick-ups can help. Fewer cars on the road means less carbon emissions and healthier air for the residents of Lane County to breathe.
On Saturday, April 23, BRING Recycling is hosting its Earth Day Birthday Party. LTD and numerous community organizations will be at BRING from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. for a fun-filled day of workshops and activities, including a Repair2Reuse Café for bicycles. LTD is offering a free day pass coupon to help people get to and from the event, which is located near the McVay Station of the EmX Bus Rapid Transit line.
