Hoverboards: A Greener Way To Commute? Maybe emissions-free hoverboards are the answer to public transit's vexing "last mile" problem

If you live in the city or just work there, I don’t have to tell you how nasty the air is. Whenever I stay in the city for long periods of time and then leave again, I’m always reminded by the sudden surge of fresh air that hits me when I leave.

And I don’t have to tell you the reason for all of that bad air and pollution. It’s the factories, the taxed sanitation department and of course, all of the cars that line up on the streets and have trouble going anywhere. To name a few.

I’m not saying that we can wave a magic wand and get rid of all of the pollutions in any given city, but I do know that greener modes of personal transportation can help. While they aren’t perfect, hoverboards are a great way to traverse a city while doing your part with a greener vehicle.

Hoverboards, much like skateboards, take some practice, but once you get the hang of it, they will take you anywhere. They are powered by lithium-ion batteries, so there are no gas emissions at all.

The average American spends about $1,400 a year on gas costs. A typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. So you can see the savings in both cost and emissions just for one vehicle. No one likes it, especially in city traffic, but you have to get to work.

If you live in the city you most likely walk, take a taxi, or a bus to your job. Well, if you are tired of being a part of all of that exhaust spewing out of vehicles, a hoverboard is the way to go.

Most hoverboards have a charge time of just 1-2 hours and most offer a range of 8-16 miles per charge, which is plenty of range to get you where you need to go in the city. You can use them anywhere bicycles can go and they are fast enough to get you there quickly. Likely faster than if you relied on the transportation on the gridlocked city streets. Hoverboards have average speeds of about 6 to 12 MPH.

As city streets only continue to get more congested and clogged, we will be seeing more hoverboards joining all of the bikes, scooters, skateboards and roller skates that are already present and helping to reduce city pollution.

Imagine if just two of your friends started using hoverboards to commute. That saves a taxi ride worth of emissions right there. Two rides worth. Let’s say that the average taxi ride in any given city is about 3-5 miles. If the average fuel cost per mile is 60.8 cents per mile, then a 5 mile trip costs $3.40. You and your friend have saved a collective $6.80

If four of your friends make the choice? That’s a carpool worth of emissions saved and a lot more money. If eight people chose hoverboards… Well, you get the idea.

Hoverboards are very simple to incorporate into your daily routine too. All you have to do make sure that it has a charge in the morning, carry it outside and get on it. Then you are off to your destination. Once you arrive at your job, just store it, top off the charge and wait for quitting time. Then get back on and go home. If you are interested in finding the best hoverboard for your needs, you can learn more here.

And since you will be on your feet more and out of a car, it is much better for your health. And everytime we can get someone out of a vehicle, it’s better for everyone’s health.

Did you know that most short journeys of under two miles are still made by car? This is horrible for the environment since engines are at their most inefficient during short jaunts. Hoverboards don’t have that problem, In fact, they are perfect for short trips. City life is all about short trips to here and there.

The greener and more environmentally friendly aspect of hoverboards go beyond just the lowered carbon footprint and zero gas emissions though. Think about all of the parts that need to be manufactured for a car, or a bus. Hoverboards need fewer parts which means that factories churn out less pollution to make them.

The hoverboard is a great way to go greener in a city environment and we should be taking advantage of this new technology. After all, each and every one of us is paying for it with our health.