Have you ever noticed how traffic seems to triple when students return to school in the fall? More cars on the road, more congestion on the highways, more road rage and fender benders, more fuel consumed, more air pollution. Avoiding these is a just one more good reason to take classes online.

As more people have become aware of the impact cars and other gas-burning vehicles have on our environment, our nation’s population is looking for ways to conserve our national resources. Has it occurred to you that distance education is a step in the right direction?

Consider these “Green” benefits of online training:
A student participating in online courses doesn’t need a dorm room, a library, a cafeteria or seven different classrooms in order to learn. There is no huge sprawling campus burning hundreds of lights, using mega watts of electricity and dumping gallons of water down the drain. In addition, no wildlife is displaced to make way for new buildings and campuses.

An distance learner doesn’t have to depend on vehicles to participate in classes. No car, no bus, no commuting, thereby eliminating exhaust and fuel consumption.

Instructors and students generally communicate through email, so no trees are sacrificed to make paper for lessons and handouts. In addition, the learners don’t have to print their assignments so they are not adding ink cartridges to the landfill.

Distance education pays off for the individual in many ways. Helping the planet while educating yourself is a bonus. That is just one more reason to take online courses. It’s convenient, it’s accessible 24-7, and it’s the new green.