8 Ways to Green Your Road Trip
This story is part of Earth911’s “Green Eight” series, where we showcase eight ways to green your life in various areas.
Looking for a summer trip before school starts again and weather gets less than desirable? The following tips will focus on making your actual road trip as environmentally-friendly as possible.
1. Pick a “Quality” Destination
The EPA has a site called AIRNow where you can find air quality conditions for anywhere in the U.S., while Earth 911’s sister site Beaches911.com provides water quality reports for states with ocean or Great Lakes access. If your potential destination has unhealthy air and/or beach water quality the days you want to go, consider a different vacation spot so you aren’t contributing to the problem.
2. Snack Smart
If you’re going to be in the car for awhile, you’ll probably want some snacks and drinks to tide you over. But keep in mind that it’ll be tough to find recycling centers out on the open road. Instead of individually packaged snacks and drink containers, what about a Tupperware container full of trail mix and travel mugs for your drinks? If you pick up supplies on the road, store and recycle those plastic bottles using Earth 911.
3. Plan Your Pit Stops
The more stops you have to make along the way, the more energy you’re going to consume during the trip. A good rule of thumb is that if one person makes a stop to use the bathroom or stretch their legs, everyone should try and do the same. It will save you time and energy in the long run.
4. Travel During Off-Hours
If you’re planning a road trip on Friday afternoon of a three-day weekend, you’ll inevitably face some traffic. Stop-and-go driving will reduce your fuel efficiency, plus it will make a three hour trip seem like three days. Leaving just a few hours later can sometimes make all the difference.
5. Dress for Weather
Blasting the A/C or heat hurts your gas mileage. It also uses up certain components of your car (e.g. air filters, antifreeze) sooner. Dressing for the conditions outside your car will lessen your need for these services.
6. Use Pet Caution
Road trips are a great time to bring along pets because there aren’t the restrictions of air travel. But make sure your pet can handle a short car trip before trying it out on the open road. The last thing you want is a dog suffering from motion sickness when you’re already an hour outside of town. For more good pet safety tips, visit Earth 911’s sister site PETS911.com.
7. Pack Reasonably
Taking two suitcases for a two-day trip is madness, and it will end up weighing down your car and reducing your gas mileage. This weight will also wear down your tires and other car components sooner. At the same time, don’t load up on supplies at your destination that you’ll have to bring back home.
8. Plan Out Any Side Trips
We’ve all been on the road and seen signs for a petrified forest or historic cabin that is “right off the freeway.” Three miles later you’re driving down a dirt road in search of the holy grail, hurting your gas mileage as well as the plants absorbing all that dust. Plus the wear and tear on those tires will put you in the market for a new set. If that’s the case, recycle those old tires using Earth 911.
