Election Day is supposed to be a chance to make your political and social priorities heard, loud and clear. So for voters concerned about reducing your carbon footprint, why not start with making your trip to the polls a little more earth-friendly?
Just in time for the Nov. 2 election, the Amherst-based non-profit RideBuzz—a national ride-sharing service—is launching an effort to get people to carpool to the polls.
RideBuzz is a big idea based on a simple premise: using the technological and social media tools already in our hands to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Users can go to the group’s website and post if they’re looking for a ride somewhere, or if they’re planning a trip and have room to spare in their car. The service is free, although RideBuzz does recommend sharing fuel costs.
In addition to its general bulletin board, RideBuzz also offers ride-share groups targeting specific communities (such as colleges) and events (including Jon Stewart’s Oct. 30 “Rally to Restore Sanity” in D.C.). On the Election Voting Group (www.ridebuzz.org/electionvotinggroup), users can post whether they’re seeking or offering rides to their polling places, anywhere in the country. “We may not agree about everything, but let’s help each other get to the polls,” RideBuzz urges.
Sharing rides on Election Day has both environmental and civic benefits. “Not everyone has the ability to drive themselves to the polls, so let’s help each other get there,” says RideBuzz founder Jeff Brown.
