From reusing plastic bags to turning off the lights, many people try to do their part to look after the environment.
But when it comes to getting home after a night out, not many of us would think about the environmental impact of our journey.
Now, Uber users will see a second rating in the app alongside their rider rating.
This second rating reveals your Emissions Savings – how much CO2 your journeys have produced over time.
‘Just like we popularized rider ratings in an effort to promote respectful behavior during Uber rides, we’re excited to launch the Emission Savings feature to both celebrate your impact and encourage greener choices when using Uber,’ said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber.
Uber users will now have two rider ratings: one given to them by drivers and a second (pictured) calculating how much CO2 they have saved by choosing electric vehicles
Since 2020, Uber has offered Uber Green which allows users to book a ride in an electric or hybrid car at no extra cost.
When choosing an Uber Green, the app estimates how much CO2 might have been produced by the same journey in an UberX or Uber Comfort.
Each time you choose to ride in an Uber Green, you will now get a notification telling you how much CO2 your choice saved.
The app will also keep track of your total savings over time; giving each user an ‘Emission Savings’ rating.
To see your Emissions Savings simply head to the ‘Account’ section of the mobile app and tap on ‘Estimated CO2 saved’ to see a breakdown of your environmental impact.
Users will also be able to see their total carbon savings as an equivalent in gallons of gas consumed, miles driven, or square feet of forest converted to farmland.
After each rider users will get a notification telling them how much CO2 emission was avoided. Users will also be able to see a breakdown of their overall savings by looking under the ‘Estimated CO2 saved’ section
Uber says this latest feature is designed to encourage users to choose electric vehicles.
‘We’re on a mission to make it effortless for our riders to embrace a low-emissions lifestyle,’ Mr Khosrowshahi said.
Uber says its own research suggests that UK users are concerned about the impacts of emissions from cars on public health and climate change.
According to Uber, 85 per cent of users polled said they were concerned about the health impact of air pollution in London.
A further 73 per cent of Londoners said that they had become more concerned about the impact of climate change since 2020.
Uber says this change is aimed at encouraging users to choose electric vehicles over fossil fuel alternatives (file photo)
Uber will also be offering incentives to drivers to make the switch to electric or hybrid vehicles.
Drivers taking Uber Green trips make 10 per cent more on journeys than those driving an UberX, according to Uber.
Uber had previously entered into a partnership with EV manufacturer Arrival to produce a fleet of electric cars for Europe.
However, the project never arrived after Arrival halted the development of the vehicle.
The company says it has plans to include more products in the emissions savings calculations in the future.
This could include ‘all-electric autonomous rides’, trips with UberX Share, as well as rides on e-bikes and scooters booked through Uber.
The company did not suggest that the emission savings feature would be coming to Uber Eats at any point in the future.
However, the company has committed that all Uber Eats couriers will use zero-emissions vehicles by 2040.
