Buses and Blossoms for Earth Day

 In celebration of Earth Day, future transit and climate leaders from Lew Wallace Elementary went on a journey with ABQ RIDE to learn how Earth Day, mass transit, and flower planting intersect.

“Earth Day reminds us to keep the planet healthy, beautiful and blooming,” said Max from Ms. Martinez’s fourth-grade class. “We need to take care of our home!”
This is the third year that ABQ RIDE has partnered with the downtown elementary school to educate the next generation of passengers about the benefits of taking the bus.

“Albuquerque is always driving toward better transportation options,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “Earth Day is a great time to get kids on the bus – an easy, free way to travel around town that is also better for our environment.”Fourth- and fifth-grade students rode a city bus, planted flowers at downtown’s Alvarado Transportation Center, learned from city staff about the environmental benefits of public transit, and engaged in an artistic activity on why transit matters for communities.

“This was such an incredible experience for our students,” said Lew Wallace teacher Stephanie Martinez. “Connecting classroom lessons to real-life actions made Earth Day extra meaningful for them.”

ABQ RIDE hopes this field trip will inspire lifelong bus riders.

“Teaching kids about mass transit early on helps them understand how much it helps the environment,” said Transit Director Leslie Keener. “It’s especially impactful for us to partner with Lew Wallace since the school is near several downtown bus lines.”

According to the World Resources Institute, buses can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to two-thirds per passenger compared with private vehicles. The United Nations’ latest climate action report says that shifting more trips to mass transit is essential to curbing climate change. 

“Earth Day provides an opportunity to teach students about local ecology and impacts on our environment,” said Sustainable Transportation Specialist Albert Lee. “Public transit helps reduce pollution and its negative health impacts. Meanwhile plants and flowers improve local habitats and reduce climate issues that are already harming our city, such as extreme heat.”

ABQ RIDE Environmental Stats:
There are five electric buses in the fleet and 10 electric vans that power the city’s free microtransit service, ABQ RIDE Connect.
The goal is to achieve zero emissions by 2050 through fleet electrification or alternative fuels.
In the late 1990s, ABQ RIDE was an early adopter of compressed natural gas (CNG) as a more sustainable fuel source; now over 80% of the fleet runs on alternatives such as CNG and diesel hybrids, which are cleaner burning and reduce emissions.
“Buses get people around very efficiently,” said Transit Principal Planner Andrew de Garmo. “They save gas, lower emissions, reduce wear on roads, and even improve personal health. It’s a win for all of us!

A special thanks to the ABQ RIDE staff, City of Albuquerque's Parks and Recreation Department, City of Albuquerque Office of Sustainability, Transit Safety Officers, and Lew Wallace Elementary School for collaborating on today’s event.Plan a ride using the transit app or find route schedules on ABQRIDE.com.