(Word of caution : this is a repost from an old series) For the fourth installment of these series – see the previous articles on heating, electricity and water– I would like to propose you a selection of the best tips to help you using less your car.
Doing so is good for your health, your budget, your community and our common environment. It is also one of the most efficient step to cut your greenhouse gases emissions.
Spring is the best moment to do so as the weather is becoming more clement and allows to get back on our bikes. It is also the best way to prepare for summer.
For short distances,
walk or bike. Biking is a fun thing if there are few cars around or bike lanes. I recently wrote an article on the multiple advantages of biking.
Among them, I noted this is a great solution to improve your health as it provides your cardio vascular system the amount of exercise it needs and can help you in managing your weight.
Humans were first hunter-gatherers who walked miles and miles per day. This contrasts heavily with our current lifestyles where we sit in front of a computer screen most of the day. It’s time we get back to walk for the shortest distances. I am always appalled at how people drive for a couple of kilometers.
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For longer distances
like the daily commute to the job, use public transportation systems or carpool.
Both solutions are increasingly popular since the spike in oil prices last years and the current economic downturn as they enable to save huge amounts of money and can be as convenient as driving your own car.
My brother-in-law – hello Simon ! – is now carpooling with co-workers every day. He now drives to work only two days per week, spend a good time commuting with people he appreciates and saves a lot of money in the process as diesel now costs a euro and a half per litre here. (up 50 percent compared to first time I wrote this article)
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Long distances
First and foremost avoid taking planes and privilege trains.
For business purposes, why not trying videoconferencing ? Although it won’t be feasible for ALL your business needs, your company may able to save significant amounts of money.
For vacation, why not discovering the marvels of your own country or region as traveling by plane can fast explode your carbon footprint ?
Last year alone I avoided a tonne of CO2 emissions simply by taking the train instead of the car. This also enabled me to meet cool people, write articles for this blog and read great books and magazines. Public transportation systems as a whole provide similar advantages.
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Next month we will tackle food and how one can eat differently to improve our health and help save our planet. So for this and for much more, stay tuned !