The Garage Plan Shop Blog

What better way to ring in the New Year than to make a resolution to green your transportation in 2013. There are all kinds of ways to make transportation earth-friendly this year. We’ve listed some of them here for you:

1. 1. Consider working from home. Telecommuting is an easy way to reduce work related travel. It will save you and your company money and time while cutting greenhouse emissions.

1. 1. Buy an eco-friendly car such as the Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Volt. Hybrid and all-electric cars are great options that are environmentally friendly.

1. 1. Car pool whenever possible. Whether you need a ride to work or the kids need a ride to their soccer games, car pooling with co-workers, other parents, etc., saves everyone money and wear and tear on cars while reducing emissions.

1. 1. Recycle your oil and use recycled engine oil. Used oil doesn’t wear out, it just gets dirty. It can be cleansed of contaminants and recycled in a continuous cycle. New engine oil made from recycled oil meets industry lubrication standards. According to the American Petroleum Institute, re-refined oil is of as high a quality as a virgin oil product.

1. 1. Drive responsibly. Irresponsible and erratic driving burns gas at a phenomenal rate. Poor driving practices can dramatically lower your gas mileage. Some aggressive driving behaviors include speeding, rapid acceleration, and heavy breaking. All of these will lower your fuel efficiency.

1. 1. Unload your car. Many of us tend to turn our cars into storage lockers. Every pound your car carries goes against your fuel economy. Get in the habit of removing non-essential items from your car. Every little bit helps.

1. 1. Arrange your errands in order to save gas, time and money.

1. 1. Bike to work and other nearby activities when weather permits. But if you don’t have a bike yet, visit a shop near you or this site https://www.aventon.com/pages/electric-bike-shop-dealer-locator and get one.

1. 1. Turn off the hose when washing the car to save water. Only turn it on when it is time to rinse.

1. Keep your tires properly inflated for the best performance and fuel economy.

For other ideas about living green, please browse our Energy Efficiency and Green Building blogs.

Tags: Green Living, green tips, green transportation