One-third of British Columbians would rather travel by car instead of taking a plane in order to reduce their carbon footprint, according to a B.C. Hydro survey.
The poll found 75 per cent of B.C. residents are concerned with the impact air travel can have on the environment.
The emissions from two passengers on a return flight from Vancouver to Kamloops equal 360 kg of C02e, the study shows.
Here’s how other routes fared:
- Vancouver to Seattle: 260 kg of CO2e
- Vancouver to Cranbrook: 440 kg of CO2e
The questionnaire also asked respondents about electric vehicles (EVs). Even though B.C. has one of the highest EV adoption rates in Canada, many British Columbians are still hesitant to make the switch because of misconceptions, the survey found.
They remain hesitant to buy an EV because they don't think they can take it on a road trip (70 per cent); only 30 per cent of those surveyed said they would consider road tripping in an electric vehicle.
One reason is that they're worried about the vehicle's capability to reach the destination. Others are worried about not being able to find any charging areas and they fear that charging the vehicle could be a time-consuming thing.
The survey found the majority of road trips are less than 300 kilometres one way, "well within the range of the latest EVs can travel on a single charge, including the 2019 models of the Nissan Leaf, Chevy Bolt and Hyundai Kona."
To read B.C. Hydro's full report, click HERE.
— Alvin Mutandiro, KamloopsMatters
