Gas Saving Tips Everyone Can Use

Gas Saving Tips Everyone Can Use

We all have at least one. One guy or gal in your office, family, circle of friends, or neighborhood, who, in the face of your best, and most earnest green idea, says, “but real people can’t do that.” Here’s a list of ideas to help all the real people you know — even those new to green living — cut down on their gasoline use and take green steps forward in their daily lives.

Walk the extra half mile. More than a quarter of US car trips are one mile or less, and 13.7 percent are a half-mile or less. For most of us, these are walkable distances. Find a backpack or briefcase on wheels that can tote your work items and laptop. If you are in the habit of making multiple short trips during the week to the grocery store, try to consolidate your errands.

Eat Locally. The average dinner in the US can travel well over 1,500 miles from farm to plate. That’s a lot of fuel and CO2 emissions. Commit to buying locally produced and organic vegetables in season and help cut back on the amount of fossil fuel in your daily meals.

Trade in the Car for an SUB (Sports Utility Bicycle). The folks at Xtracycle proudly promote their “bike that hauls”. Designed for people with things to carry from books to groceries to pets to kayaks, Xtracycle makes it possible for you to transform your bike into a sports utility bicycle using their Free Radical Kit.

Go Biodiesel. Concerned about rising gas prices? Now might be the time to start thinking about switching to biodiesel. Check out the following books on alternative fuels at Books We Like. This online book community lets you choose books from a range of providers including local bookstores, and provides a search for many local libraries. When you choose Co-op America as the “beneficiary,” a donation is made to support our work to grow the green economy.

From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank: The Complete Guide to Using Vegetable Oil as an Alternative Fuel

Biodiesel: Growing A New Energy Economy

Search the National Green Pages™ for biodiesel.