We are a society that is in love with our fossil fuel burning vehicles, and understandably so. Our cars provide vital transportation to our places of employment, to run errands, to visit with friends and family, to travel to experience cultural events and to go out to eat in restaurants. Since many of us cannot live without our cars, trucks and SUVs, what can be done to save gasoline and to cut down on environmental pollution?
The common sense answers to the question of using less gas are to consolidate driving trips, walking instead of driving, and car pooling. There are some other ways that are perhaps a little more creative that help you use less gasoline.
American Idle
One of the new trends in conserving gasoline that started in Europe and that is quickly moving this way is the idea of turning off your car engine while stopped in traffic. What? Isn't it wasteful to stop and start the car? It seems that contemporary cars don't use an extraordinary amount of gasoline to start their engines. The new rule is that if you think your car is going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds, you should turn off your idling car engine.
While you might worry about adding extra stress to your starter and batteries from all those startups, researchers estimate that constant restarts only add about $10 to your yearly maintenance on your car. So for an extra $10 a dollars a year, you can reduce the amount of pollution you are releasing into the environment. Pretty cheap to make a difference, I'd say.
Choose not to Drive Thru
Fast food is also an ingrained part of our contemporary culture. We are busy people, traveling to and fro and need to be able to find quick way stations to eat and use the restroom. But something you can do to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide your car releases into the environment is by parking in the lot and going into the fast food restaurant. Don't use the drive thru. Sitting in an average drive thru window can take up to 10 minutes of you sitting in your car as it runs. While it's convenient to use the drive thru, it's really better for the planet if you park. You have the added bonus of burning extra calories by getting up and out of your car and walking. (Bonus points if the cashier is cute.)
The above are just a few tips in how to reduce your carbon footprint. Be creative. What can you do in your everyday life to reduce fossil fuel waste?
Mary Rayme - Mary Rayme is a graphic designer and arts educator with a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.
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