How do five journeys make a difference?

As with all of our campaigns, Stride and Ride 5 highlights a practical way that the British public themselves can tackle climate change. And whilst five journeys might seem piddly against the scale of the crisis, it really does make a difference. 

Transport is the UK’s single largest source of climate emissions (and most of that comes from cars), making up 30% of the UK’s output. Yet despite the fact that we’ve known about the climate impacts of fossil-fuelled vehicles for some time, change isn’t happening in the way we need it to. The number of cars in the UK is still increasing (and so is the distance travelled in them). 

Sadly electrifying cars just won’t cut it. Only 2% of new vehicles sold in 2018 were electric /hybrid, and it’ll take another twenty years for electric vehicles to make up 90% of cars on the roads - and we just don’t have that time. 

Put simply, unless we radically change how we get around, we won’t reach our climate targets - or build the cleaner fairer society that we envision. 

For the vast majority of Stride and Ride pledgers, it doesn’t stop at 5 journeys.

5 journeys gets you in the door. With just a few trips, we teach ourselves that journeys could be different. And once our minds and bodies feel the benefits, we’re more ready to keep it up and cement new routines. 

You can calculate the difference between journey types for your own route by using this carbon calculator, but it’s about more than one person getting on their bike. 

Our choices affect the choices of those around us. 

This movement must be a mass movement or it simply won’t achieve its aims.

At Possible we’re keen to disrupt ‘car culture’ and replace it with a climate-friendly reality. The more people that make changes in their daily lives, the quicker we’ll see changes in our climate. 

Even if you don’t say a word, by choosing to cycle or walk your journeys, you encourage others to rethink what’s normal - whether that’s people you live with (who wave you off while you put on your helmet), those you work with (who see you walk through the door fresh faced and energised from your commute) or simply people you pass on the street (who see one less car driving by). By helping each other see walking and cycling as not only an option, but one that we’re enjoying and benefiting from, we encourage others to choose low carbon commutes too. 

But speaking up is where it’s at. The issue of climate change is too often allowed to hide out of sight in specialist areas of activism, science and policy. But not talking about it makes it easier for us all to ignore the frightening reality. At Possible we encourage people to talk about climate change in ways that help inspire and motivate more people to take practical action. 

By mentioning the climate as one of your motivations to do Stride and Ride, you’re bringing a potentially tricky topic into a positive discussion and helping others to realise that solutions are available but they need all of us to act. 

And our choices affect decisions made in parliament

The government could do much more to get more people to walk and cycle their journeys, but they need to be sure that it’s a good use of money (i.e. if they invest in segregated bike lanes will we see more people cycling or more car drivers getting frustrated and taking their business elsewhere). By choosing to go car-free we show politicians that the public are ready for change. The more of us who stride and ride, the more likely it’ll be that the government feels confident prioritising walking and cycling. 

We’re up against corporations that lobby the government to prioritise cars  - so it’s important that we’re a bit more proactive in our message! By asking our MPs to push the national government to invest in safe walking and cycling, and by letting our local councils know what we’d like that to look like in our neighbourhoods, we’re making sure that they get the message.