Trains Could Help Save the Planet. Invest in Better Technology, Now!

In the northern hemisphere, summer is almost upon us, and we're about to discover what the newest round of heat waves will have in store for us, thanks to climate change. The planet keeps warming and warming, yet government leaders don't seem to be doing much to address the main causes of this fiasco.

That's where trains come in. Cars and planes are some of the top contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, right up at the top of the list alongside animal agriculture. Meanwhile, trains can transport huge amounts of people very rapidly, while producing only a fraction of the carbon emissions associated with planes or cars.

Trains could be one of our big solutions to solving the climate change puzzle, so we need one of the world's biggest carbon emitters - the United States - to increase its investment in public transportation immediately! Sign the petition!

Around the world, many countries are investing heavily in new technology to produce high-speed, high-quality railway experiences, and their residents are loving it. The world's fastest trains can be found across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. But, notably, not in the U.S.

China is now able to boast that it has both the two fastest trains in the world as well as the longest stretch of high-speed rail lines. Its fastest rail service can reach 286 mph / 460 kph. Meanwhile, the fastest 'Acela' trains in the U.S. currently run significantly slower, at a maximum speed of 150 mph, but the vast majority of trains in the country run much slower than that. Our trains are also often clunky and old - it's no wonder trains have been unattractive to Americans!

Luckily, both public and private companies in the U.S. are starting to develop a handful of slightly faster rail projects. These range in location from California to Texas and Florida to Washington state. These are a great start, and we should encourage this. But we need more!

We can't afford to keep trains as an unattractive option in the U.S. any longer. We must fight climate change, and we must invest in faster, better trains! Sign the petition to demand the U.S. federal government increase its funding for better rail technology.