By Alana Mauger and Sean McKee

April is Earth Month, a time when people around the globe commit to fostering a more sustainable future. Building on the efforts of the national American Red Cross Sustainability Office, Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Red Cross Green Team challenges readers to give public transit a try.

Using public transit is one of the most effective actions individuals can take to conserve energy. A single person who switches from a 10-mile solo commute by car to existing public transportation can reduce their annual CO2 emissions by 10 pounds per day. You’ll also save money by reducing the need for gas and parking, and you use your passive commute time to finish up work, listen to music, read or just relax. Who knows, you might even enjoy it!

To get you started SEPA’s Green Team will help you plan a public transit trip to our Spring Garden Campus in Philadelphia via SEPTA.

How To Get There

Getting to the Red Cross Spring Garden Campus via SEPTA is easy; it is centrally located and there are multiple routes that will get you there, depending on your starting location. To find the route that best works for you, here are a few resources to check out:

• SEPTA Trip Planner: Get step-by-step directions from your location
• Google Maps (Transit tab): Real-time public transit options with walking directions after you’ve gotten off your last stop.
• Transit App: Live tracking and alerts so you’re never stuck waiting.

How To Pay For Fares

There are multiple ways to pay on SEPTA:

Contactless Payment: SEPTA accepts contactless payment (such as credit/debit card or Apple/Google/Samsung Pay) for travel on bus and Metro. This includes the Broad Street Line, Market-Frankford Line, Norristown High Speed Line and trolleys. NOTE: Regional Rail is not eligible for contactless payment.

Benefits:

• Includes free transfers within two hours
• Easy tap-on access across eligible transit modes

SEPTA Key card: While SEPTA does have plans to update the Key Card system, it is still the most integrated way to get around across the whole system.

Benefits:

• Load it with funds or passes
• Includes free transfers within two hours
• Easy tap-on access across ALL transit modes

Cash: SEPTA accepts cash for travel on any of its services. Note: EXACT FARE is required for transit trips.

Earth Month Alternative Option

If you live in an area not served by public transit or you already drive an electric vehicle, the Green Team offers you an alternative Earth Month challenge: power down for one hour. While the physical act of turning off your devices for one hour may not have a significant environmental impact, powering down gives you the space necessary to reflect and consider actions that can lead to a healthier planet. Choose an hour that fits your schedule and unplug. As a plus, your mental health will benefit, too!

Caught in the Act

Photos or it didn’t happen! Email us a selfie of you on public transit or at the conclusion of your power down hour and we’ll share the photos in a future post. Or if you’re camera shy, just the email will do letting us know you participated.