A recent report of UMD students Jenna Carlson, Jesse Ewert, Kelsey Gronberg, Adam Hughley, and Achilles Sangster II concludes:  "There are many ways to lower your carbon footprint when commuting to UMD".   As a part of David Syring's senior anthropology seminar, these five students conducted surveys, interviews, and gathered data exploring alternative transportation at UMD.   The team looked at the various ways to commute to UMD, including sustainable alternatives to the single-car driver.  Their final goal was to make recommendations on how to promote alternative transportation in the UMD area in order to reduce greenhouse gases, cut down on pollution, and rely less on foreign oil. 

The student team timed biking/walking routes from high density student housing neighborhoods.  They interviewed transportation planners both at UMD and in the Duluth community.  They also evaluated incentives and barriers to students, staff, and faculty making sustainable choices.  Their analysis included riding the bus, biking, and walking to campus. 

Check out their commuting recommendations for UMD administration, the Duluth Community, and students, staff, and faculty at http://www.d.umn.edu/~sangs012/anth4653/#Actions.  Read some of the interview transcriptions and you may be surprised how many UMD transportation myths you can bust!

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Ever wonder what the REAL cost of your single-car commute is?

The Stanford commute calculator can help you figure it out. *Tip: the average daily parking cost: Maroon permit- $0.96, Housing- $1.44, Gold- $2.40. (cost = permit by the number of instructional days in the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 semesters).  While some of the recommendations on the calculator are specific to Stanford, there are many good ideas that you can apply to reduce your commuting carbon footprint at UMD.