Green Vacation Travel
By Car

When traveling by car there are many things to consider and ways to reduce the environmental impact. Likewise, you can find ways to reduce this impact by comparing alternatives. Knowing more about those impacts can help you make effective choices. These range from car fuel efficiency tips to simply knowing your vehicle.

First, ways to reduce the environmental impact while driving

1) Drive slower. The one constant no matter who you talk to is selecting to drive slower. This cuts down the wind resistance, thus the amount of power required to push the vehicle. Additionally, it reduces the need for sudden stops, providing a smoother and more efficient ride.

2) Drive smoother. Accelerating and decelerating uses power. Reducing the need to speed up and slow down reduces the energy consumption. Being more aware of your surroundings allows for you better to predict changes. This means you can begin decelerating earlier and possibly prevent requiring coming to a full stop by arriving at signals after it's already changed. And if you are on the highway, using cruise control helps as well.

3) Traffic reports. Finding out about traffic snarls ahead of time and choosing alternatives allows you to drive unfettered and more efficiently.

4) Make your car more efficient. This means do what you can to make your car a better choice. This includes potentially driving an electric vehicle (though you should consider how your area electricity is produced) or hybrid. Reduce air conditioning usage through opening your windows when driving slowly (under 35), but close the windows at higher speeds (over 45) to reduce drag on your vehicle. Additionally, maintain the aerodynamics of your vehicle by keeping the trunk closed and do not tie items to the vehicle or the roof at higher speeds. Also reduce unneeded weight, as this adds to the mass of the vehicle and thus it requires more energy to push and start. Also make sure that your tires are properly inflated as this wastes fuel unnecesarily.

5) Reduce idling. Even for warming up your car you can actually be driving. This means that you should get started quickly and try to avoid sitting around with the car on. Further, reving the car up is simply wasting gas.

Second, it's important to know when driving is, or is not the option. For that, you should review the distance you are going to travel, etc., versus other options that you may have. Please review our Air and Train travel sections for those costs and compare what driving yourself will entail. Further, consider what mode of transportation you might use at your destination and how that would compare with having your own vehicle.

Feel free to browse this website to find additional information about your green vacation travel choices. Not only ways of reducing the impact of your trip, but also alternatives for the purpose. From Ecotravel to Volunteer Vacations, there are choices that you can make that can expose you to a new world or even benefit the environment.