Do this |
Because |
|
| Use public mass transportation whenever you can |
Public
transportation is, depending on the infrastructure, reliable,
inexpensive ( when calculated with all cost factors in mind), often
faster, and more efficient the more people use it since it is on the
road in any case. There is much less pollution per person involved in
public mass transport than with passenger cars. It may cost you more,
but you may be allowed to transport bulky items on wheels if they fit
into the vehicle. |
significant |
| Use small motorcycle |
A
large motorcycle may use as much gas as a small automobile and can
transport only two people. Cruising and high performance street bikes
are not designed for efficient transportation in regard to gasoline
consumption. Making a motorcycle costs energy which off-sets any
gasoline savings. It makes only sense to own one if you do not own a
car. A small motorcycle pollutes less. |
not enough |
| Ride with another person |
Two people on one motorcycle is better than one. Half the pollution. Even better if you use a small bike. |
noticeable |
| Pack the car full of people |
The
more folks you can get in there, the less pollution it will be per
person. If you do not know anyone who needs to go where you need to go,
call a ride-share service to see if they have someone interested who
will even pay a share of the gas. Pollute less + save money. |
noticeable |
| Make sure it is 4-stroke |
2-stroke
engines burn oil with the gas. Also, many high-performance two-stoke
engines exhaust unburned gasoline fumes. Not only does it pollute
because it burns gas, now it also blows carcinogenic materials into the
air. |
noticeable |
| Use snowmobile or four-wheeler only if you have to |
Both
are machines that create a lot of pollution. If you need to use it, go
ahead. If you are doing it for fun, remember that you are having fun at
the expense of others. Consider down-hill sledding if you are in need
of an adrenaline rush. Consider snowshoeing or cross country skiing if
you are in need of looking at a beautiful winter scenery. |
not enough |
| Get a trailer for your car |
If you have to move things only once in a while use a trailer and
your regular car. Much less pollution than driving an empty truck or
SUV every day. |
noticeable |
| Don`t own a car |
If
you live in a city with good infrastructure and public transportation
you could consider not even owning a car. There may be a car sharing
organization in your city. |
significant |
| Combine trips |
Get
many things in one trip rather than making three trips. Wait with using
your car or truck until you have several place to go. Try to get things
that are on the way. Driving once rarely is better than driving often
for shorter trips. |
noticeable |
| Get a bicycle trailer to transport more stuff with the bike. |
There
are some bike trailers you can buy that allow you to move even large
objects like refrigerators or couches. Try that with your regular
passenger car! Other than the fabrication of the vehicle, there is no
pollution while you move things with a bicycle and a trailer. If the
distances are short and you are in good shape, a bike trailer is
usually enough. |
significant |
| Ride your bike |
Every
time you ride your bike rather than driving your car, you do not
pollute and you get in shape at the same time. Put fenders on your bike
and you stay dry when it rains. Put lights on your bike and you can
travel in the dark. You can even mount studded snow tires for snow and
ice conditions. If you need to go shopping use a backpack or panniers.
The bicycle is the most common used transportation vehicle in the
world. There are solutions - most of us are just not in the habit of
working our muscles to get to places. |
significant |
| Drive instead of flying |
The shorter the flight, the higher the negative impact of airplane
travel. The older the airplane the higher the negative impact will be.
All turbine powered airplanes pollute in the higher levels of the
atmosphere, where it is especially damaging. If you can drive to where
you need to be it is less damaging to use the car, especially if fully
loaded with people and driven conservatively. In addition to the
airplane pollution there is also airplane construction, airplane
disposal, airport construction, etc. to be considered. Sure, sure it
takes more time to drive. There is a reason why we fly - the reason
just costs the environment. |
noticeable |
| Get a trailer for your car |
If
you do not need to transport bulky thing at all times, consider getting
a trailer for your regular passenger car. A trailer can be disconnected
from the car and you create only more pollution when you need to
transport bulky items. This is in contrast to SUVs or small trucks
which pollute more all the time, loaded or not. |
noticeable |
| Let your kids take the school bus |
Not only is it safer, it is also cleaner because only one vehicle is traveling the route. |
not enough |
| Bring your kids to school yourself |
If
bringing your kids to school is on the way you have to go anyway AND
the school bus would have to make a detour to pick up your kids, bring
them to school yourself. No vehicle travels extra - you avoided the
increase of pollution. |
not enough |
| Row or sail |
The
vast majority of power boats including personal water craft (PWC) are
designed with performance in mind, not fuel efficiency. This will
probably change, but transportation over the water is much less
polluting if you row or sail your boat. Even across-ocean transport
could be more energy-efficient if sails were used to help when the wind
is right. |
significant |
| Sail, not motor |
If
there is no wind, don`t use the motor of your sail boat. Stay where you
are if possible (and safe) and wait for the wind to transport you
without pollution. |
not enough |
| Walk sometimes |
Walking
a couple of miles does not pollute. Driving a car does. Walk to the
post office, grocery store, etc. This is not hard if you have to
transport only a few items. It takes more time, but why drive a car to
deliver a few letters or get milk? |
significant |
| Use the train |
With
the possible exception of high speed trains (which battle very high
air-resistance), a train requires less energy to move than cars of
trucks because there is very little friction between the wheels and the
track. Regular speed trains pollute less than cars and trucks. Freight
trains can transport cargo more efficiently than trucks. |
noticeable |
| Take the stairs |
Anytime
you use escalators you require the motor to do a little extra work. If
they are standing still when you approach them they will start up just
for you which uses a good amount more energy than when they already
move. The reason they shut down is because it wastes energy to have
them moving all the time. So why use or turn them on if you can just as
well take the stairs? |
not enough |
| Take the stairs |
Elevators
use huge electric motors. Any time you use the elevator, you use
energy. Find the stairs (good to know where they are in any case) and
use them instead of the stair master in your local gym. |
not enough |
| Avoid cruise ships |
The
purpose of a cruise ship is to move you from place to place with the
highest amount of luxery you were willing to pay for. For North
Americans that means cooling anything when it is too hot, heating
anything when it is uncomfortably cool, more food than we can possibly
eat, day and night entertainment that uses a lot of electricity, a
cleaner than clean environment, etc. Cruise ships pollute - if you
don`t use one you do not pollute that way. |
noticeable |
| Pack aerodynamically |
The
more aerodynamic you pack whatever cargo is exposed to the flow of air,
the less air resistance you have to overcome and the less you pollute.
Put the things you need to move inside the vehicle. If that is not
possible, make sure it does not stick out. Just stand in front of the
vehicle and look at it: If you see cargo sticking out you will push
extra air and pollute more. Make sure it is tucked away. |
noticeable |
