There is no doubt that we need to make an effort together as a community and society to work towards going greener. Since vehicles are a major part of everyday life, it is a good place to start. As a society, we have deemed it almost necessary to drive, so we as consumers must start trying to conserve what we do have, while still being able to get from Point A to Point B.

While stuck sitting in bumper to bumper traffic, you can’t help but wonder about how much damage we are doing to the environment. There are so many options to reduce your overall carbon footprint, and now those options are more readily available than ever before.

CARPOOL

It’s amazing to see how many solo drivers make up the occupancy within each car on the road, especially during commute hours. Many of us have a daily routine that begins with waking up, then driving ourselves to work.  But hey! If you know a co-worker that takes the same route to work as you do, and he or she is somewhat on the way to the office, offer to pick them up. You’ll most likely get gas money out of it and have someone to talk to on your commute. Carpooling not only helps the environment, but improves relationships as well. Most importantly, you get to use the carpool lane and pass by all the gas guzzlers sitting in rush hour traffic!

DIFFERENT WHEELS

If you are trying to use your car less in order to save energy or go green, try riding a bicycle or taking public transit.

Riding a bike saves energy while giving you energy! More and more cities are becoming bike friendly with wider bike lanes. No matter what your vehicle of choice is, you can use the same skills you learned from that NYS defensive driving course you took last year.  Riding a bike not only improves your physical self, but it can also help you explore and connect with your neighborhood. Biking gets you where you need to go, and gives you time to clear your head, all while reducing your carbon footprint.

Taking public transit, like the bus or a taxi, not only allows you to go greener, but you can also learn great defensive driving skills by watching the experienced drivers. Public transit is a larger version of carpooling. A bus, train, or subway that takes people around town in a dedicated loop gives the community a (usually) on time place to socialize with one another while traveling.

ELECTRIC SMARTNESS
Another way to save energy, along with money, is by driving an electric car. There are a variety of makes and models to choose from now, and newer versions are being created as we speak. These sleek cars save on gas, which can help you utilize your defensive driving skills on the road, and can be charged at one of the many new charging parking spots that are popping up everywhere. If an electric car sounds like too much of a switch to you, there are cars that offer a “greener” experience than your average car. While each company makes their own claims, these cars are often advertised as more fuel-efficient with less of the emissions that are harming our environment. Electric or “greener” cars will not only save you money, but will also help save our environment.

Whether you want to forgo your car completely or simply make your day to day impact smaller, there are such a variety of ways to help the environment, and it is our duty to try our best. Driving less, or walking and biking more, even making small daily green changes, and being aware of your impact on the world around us can only ameliorate the situation we are in. Almost every aspect of our lives is impacting or involving the environment around us, and it is up to us to take any steps we can to help out.