You want to get away this summer, but you want to do so in the greenest way? Bob Schildgen, an advice columnist for Sierra Magazine and author of Hey Mr. Green recommends that you "Don't drive a gas guzzler anywhere." Instead, you could rent a smaller vehicle, perhaps even a hybrid car for your trip. Renting a car may seem like an expensive option, but "You could come out ahead financially by saving all that money on gas even when you add in the cost of the rental car", says Schildgen.
Deron Lovaas of the Natural Resources Defense Council says that "Tuning (up) our car and inflating our tires are simple things people can do to save money and cut pollution."
Of the most common transportation options, which is the greenest? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, trains are the most efficient, then cars and then planes. In addition to their efficiency, trains are a quaint throwback to an earlier era of travel. When flying, fly nonstop because "Planes burn more fuel on takeoffs and landings than they do at cruising altitudes," according to energy experts.
Some travel websites give customers the option to donate some money to a green organization to help offset the environmental impact of flying.
Take this Sierra Club survey entitled "How Green Is My Getaway?" to find out which travel option is the greenest.
However you choose to travel this summer, do so within your means, have fun, and do what you can to be green!
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