Car Talk…And More: Driving and Transportation

• The most important shift you can make when it comes to transportation is to figure out how much driving you do and where you can cut back.

• Every gallon of gasoline burned puts 20 pounds of carbon

dioxide into the atmosphere.

• By shifting to more fuel-efficient transportation, you can:

o Save time – work from home and reduce your commute time

o Save money – each year the average American household spends more than 1/6 of its budget on buying, repairing and fueling cars

o Reduce climate change –carbon dioxide emissions from cars is among the major causes of global warming

o Save energy – American cars consume more oil than American reserves produce, increasing our dependence on foreign oil

o Protect water – one gallon of oil spilled into the street or in a sewer can contaminate a million gallons of water

o Breathe easier – cars, trucks and other mobile sources account for almost1/3 of total US air pollution. Cars also emit benzene, arsenic, formaldehyde, and lead, all of which could cause cancer.

o Prevent heart disease – heart threats increase from the grime in the air that lodges in the lungs, causing inflammation that could lead to heart attack or stroke

o Strengthen homeland security – the US spends over $100,000 a minute to purchase foreign oil and countless billions defending oil interests in the Middle East

• How to use your Big Green Purse:

o For those without access to mass transit, consider buying a car-share membership

such as Zipcar or Flexcar o Buy effective office supplies, like a good computer, and telecommute. o Choose the most energy-efficient vehicle that will meet your transportation needs. o Stretch your dollars by taking advantage of tax credits for hybrid vehicles.

• Other ways to use less gas:

o Drive the speed limit – every 5 mph over 60 increases fuel costs by $.10 per gallon of gas

o Use cruise control –a steady speed improves fuel economy by 4-14% o Keep tires properly inflated – proper pressure improves gas mileage by 3.3%

• Chapter also includes information on buying a car, hybrids, ethanol, bicycles, bio-diesel,

“green streets” campaigns, and gas boycotts.