Transportation may be the key to going green. Cars are killing our planet. Whether you agree with the science behind global warming you can't deny the massive traffic jams, paved roads everywhere, and smoggy air that envelopes much of the developed world. We have to find alternatives. There are many alternatives today and we can each do our part to make improvements in our corner of the world. Traveling by Car For every gallon of gasoline burned 20 pounds of CO2 is generated. Click on CO2 per gallon of gas calculation for the math and science behind this. There are a number of ways to go green with your car. The first way is to do all you can to conserve fuel with the car you have today. This has the excellent side affect that you will also save big money on gas. The obvious thing to do is drive less. For example, walk or ride a bike when possible. Don't drive just for fun. Plan your errands and activities so you can get as much done with as little driving as possible. There are also ways you can alter your driving style to conserve gas. Click here for driving techniques to conserve gas. Buying a new Car The second way to go green with your car is how you chose a new car. There are a number of ways to go green when buying a car: Buy a car with good gas mileage or fuel economy This is essential. Don't go for the big gas hog SUV, go for the most fuel efficient car you can get. Today Hybrid cars are the most fuel efficient. Here is a list of the top 10 most fuel efficient cars for 2008: A few other less traditional ways to go green with your new automobile choice include: Consider alternative fuels Electric Cars and Fuel Cell Vehicles Traveling by Air Air travel is so prevalent in developed countries that it is estimated that flying contributes up to 10% of the carbon dioxide generated from transportation. Flying across the United States generates about 1 ton of CO2 per passenger. The easiest way to help the environment concerning air travel is to stay home. Take a vacation near where you live. Now this isn't an option for everyone. As a result, there are several organizations that accept donations which are used to offset your flying by planting trees or doing other green activities. Now keep in mind that a lot of the numbers used in carbon footprint calculators and in calculations that determine how much impact your flying has on the environment assumes that you are flying commercial airlines. The environmental impact of private jets is significantly higher. Celebrities, CEO's, and millionaires flying around in their private jets are causing tons of CO2 to be released into the air. So the next time you see a celebrity getting out of their hybrid and jumping on their private jet, know that the savings from their hybrid is dwarfed by the waste and pollution put out by their jet. Traveling by Rail Trains can be a great way to travel. As a replacement for car travel, trains can have a huge positive impact on the environment. Traveling by train or rail generally has less of an environmental impact than traveling by air as well. There are different types of trains and each has a different impact on the environment. Even electric trains will have a varying impact depending on where the electricity they are powered by comes from. Either way, traveling on a fairly full train is always better than traveling by car. Traveling by Bus Just like trains, busses are methods of mass transit that can allow your travel to have a reduced impact on the environment. |
