Driving got you down?
A staggering 28 percent of green house gas emissions are from transportation alone in the United States according to the EPA. Most cities in the U.S. are built around cars and make it difficult for people to get around by alternative transportation.
As much as I would love to give up driving entirely and instead rely on my bike, the train and BART, it’s just not possible with where I currently live.
But even if you are like me and cannot completely give up driving, there are ways that you can cut back on the amount of driving you do and the money you spend on gas.
According to a recent article in GOOD:
Global warming is getting worse, and so are our commutes. The 2010 American Community Survey showed that in 2009 the number of commuters driving alone increased half a percentage point to 76.6 percent, a total of about 100 million people. Meanwhile, the percentage who took public transportation slightly decreased to 4.9 percent.
Of course, you already know some of the easiest ways to help curb pollution. Carpool. Take the bus. Take the metro. Bike to work at least once a week and get fit in the process. (The first few days on the road can be intimidating, but follow a few simple tips and confidence will follow.) Or make your other car an electric bike. Walk, and enjoy some spring air. Our December human infographic on traffic in Los Angeles showed how much better traffic flow would become if just 3 percent of the city’s drivers switched to taking public transportation or biking to work.
If you can’t ditch your car, you’re not alone. There are 808 cars for every 1000 people in the U.S, second only to Monaco… And one gallon of gasoline takes nearly 13 gallons of water to produce, so you may be inadvertently using more than 500 gallons of water every time you fill up. But there are things you can do to clean up your car’s gas usage.”
Quick tips*:
– Drive 55 MPH or bellow (when appropriate for the speed limit, not in 25 MPH zones, etc.)
– Avoid sudden stops and starts
– Be sure you have up to date clean air filters and get regular tune-ups and maintenace
– Keep your tires fully inflated
*From Good
