Lime – Smart & Green Mobility Solutions for the Modern World
Estimated reading time: around 6 minutes
Our society suffers from a serious case of car-addiction. Personal motor vehicles are flooding the streets of all major cities across the globe, thus contributing greatly to high levels of pollution and the ever-increasing progress of global warming. Cars and trucks alone produce nearly 20% of all the toxic emissions in the US.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCSUSA.org), these two types of motor vehicles emit an average of 24 pounds of global warming gases (including carbon dioxide) for every gallon of gas they burn through. Of those 24 pound, five are accounted for merely through the processes of production, extraction, and delivery of said gas, while the other 19 pounds of dangerous emissions come directly from the tailpipes of our own cars.
If we include trains, ships, cargo ships and planes as well, the percentage reaches a staggering 30% of all global warming emissions. According to a study published in The Guardian, not only does pollution cause around 400,000 premature deaths a year in Europe alone, it also increases the chance of developing dementia.
Slowly but surely, Earth’s atmosphere is turning more and more toxic, and there’s plenty we can do about it.
Enter: Lime
Lime is a company founded by forward-thinking people for forward-thinking people. The main idea behind this movement is to prompt members of all communities to incorporate smart, affordable, and environment-friendly means of transportation. Smart mobility should be available to everyone, regardless of their coordinates and the country they live in. We all share one location and one location only – planet Earth – and we should all work collectively to save it.
Lime’s cornerstone model is to make the equitable distribution of shared electric vehicles available to everyone, and therefore reduce the dependance and the need for personal cars, at least for short-distance transportation.Their green bikes, e-scooters, and transit vehicles allow for the pollution-free mobility and a cleaner, healthier future of cities and communities, and ultimately – our planet.
The organization already has locations all over the globe, including most US states, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, UK, Sweden, Switzerland… and has become one of the most successful and widely-spread green-initiative mobility programs that is currently active on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Lime runs 6 different programs:
Lime for Cities
Perhaps the main mission behind Lime is to serve cities, both big and small. Urban areas are the biggest problems in regard to pollution and global warming, which is why Lime’s dock-free smart mobility solutions are predominantly used in major cities around the globe where they work toward reducing traffic jams and advocating smart and healthy transportation.
Lime Campus Network
Targeted at major campuses, this program enables affordable university bikeshare use and decreases heavy campus traffic.
LimeHub Network
Lime owns a huge network of electric scooters and bikes that can help small businesses speed up and solve their first and last mile mobility issues at more than affordable prices.
Lime Access
Close collaboration with pertinent community organizations and stakeholders made way for their Lime Access equity program that was designed with one idea in mind – to make heavily subsidized rides available to low-income individuals.
Lime Business Network
Companies that are looking for a greener and faster way for their staff to travel short distances can join Lime’s Business Network program that provides employees with Lime’s smart mobility vehicles equipped with GPS systems.
Lime Travel Network
Lime Travel Network is a program developed for hotel owners who seek a green, fun, yet affordable way for their hotel guests to explore the city and get around more easily.
Find out more about Lime programs through this link.
Lime Green: Sustainability as the Fulcrum of their Mission
Lime has been one of the leading names when it comes to incorporating smart mobility rides within cities, towns and communities all over Europe and the US, with over 13 million smart mobility trips that have been completed using their vehicles so far. However, e-scooters and bikes alone are not enough. We also need a new approach to achieving genuine sustainability.
CO2 emissions should not be our only concern. In order to fully support smart environmental programs regarding mobility and transportation, we must delve deeper into the issue of sustainability in terms of electricity. Electrical rides are definitely the answer, but we need to ask the following question:
What is the nature and the origin of that very electricity we are using to power the e-scooters and bikes?
This is where Lime Green program comes into play.
Lime Green initiative works toward encompassing all possible aspects of sustainability, thus committing only to vehicles that are completely carbon neutral. This means that each and every e-vehicle that has a Lime label on it is 100% powered with carbon-free electricity.
This is not where Lime Green initiative stops, however. Lime’s partnership with NativeEnergy – one of industry leaders in carbon offset and renewable energy – has made way for various other projects that include:
- Building new renewable energy prototypes (the first one being the upcoming solar energy project based in Iowa)
- Purchasing and using renewable energy from local utilities like wind farms, solar fields…
- Offsetting any remaining fuel-based carbon emissions that are currently associated with Lime
Promoting Traffic Safety
Safety is also among Lime’s top priorities. Making sure all Lime users are safe at all times and are not jeopardizing others in traffic either is just as vital as helping the environment, which is why they decided to partner with some of the most prominent names when it comes to road safety and smart mobility: Zendrive, Lyft, Uber, Bird, Juno and HopSkipDrive.
“Ride Safely, Park Responsibly,” is Lime’s motto, so for those of you who are planning to incorporate Lime’s e-scooters and bikes into their own daily commute, here are some riding and parking tips that can nudge you in the right direction:
- Rule 1: Always wear a helmet.
- Rule 2: Park properly by curbside. Tutorial video on parking available here.
- Rule 3: Always perform a safety check before you take off. Check your brakes, tires, battery…
- Rule 4: Follow traffic rules at all times, regardless of the traffic volume.
You can also earn money while using Lime. Their Lime Juicer program allows you to earn an extra dime by:
- Collecting low-battery Lime‑S scooters
- Charging the scooters overnight via regular electrical outlets
- Deploying them in the morning
Become a Part of #LimeNation
Incorporated into more than 130 markets, Lime is growing on a daily basis. The company is proudly working on introducing their smart micro mobility solutions to each and every city, university and community around the globe. Though the following phrase has perhaps turned into a cliche lately, it has never been more relevant than now – be the change you want to see in the world. And you can start by using Lime.
To bring Lime to your town and partner with them go to their Partner With Lime webpage.
