More Ways to Get Around
- Sell extra cars. If you've been hanging on to a second or
third vehicle for those rare occasions when you truly "need"
it as a spare or for carrying cargo, reconsider your position.
Think of the money you'll save on insurance, registration,
parking, and maintenance by renting a car a few times a year
instead. Or get the neighbors together to buy a "community"
pickup truck for heavy cargo needs, then stick with a fuelefficient
vehicle the rest of the time.
- Drive a hybrid. These amazing cars come with huge tax
incentives from state and federal government bodies, save you
tons on gas, and can cut emissions by half. Go to
HybridCars.com to look up all the incentives available to you.
- Avoid buying an SUV. Sport utility vehicles are attractive
and popular, but if you're interested in safety, they aren't good
choices. The sense of safety and security driving an SUV may
give you is often deceptive. SUVs are prone to rollovers, in
which the occupants are three times more likely to be killed
than are occupants of cars, and collisions of SUVs and cars
account for the majority of fatalities in vehicle-on-vehicle accidents.
Plus, with far fewer miles to the gallon, SUVs guzzle gas
and foreign oil, cost more at the pump, and emit far more toxic
emissions into the air than traditional cars.
- Bike to work. Toxic vehicle emissions and human obesity
rates are skyrocketing, but you can reduce air pollution -- and
your waistline -- by bicycling to the office. Any cyclist will tell
you biking is fun and healthy and makes parking a dream.
National Bike to Work Week is May 15–19. Take advantage of
the warmer weather and extra daylight and give cycling a shot
next May -- or sooner!
- Take public transportation. Hopping on the subway or bus is
a great way to avoid the stress of traffic and the noxious carcinogens
you breathe while sitting in gridlock. When you're
on the train or bus, you can read the newspaper or catch up on
paperwork on the way to work, saving you time. Besides, walking,
even just to and from the station or bus stop, is a great
way to start your morning.
Whether the goal is to reduce the number of weekly trips
made by car, get a more efficient and safer car, or take the
plunge and go car-free, each of us can make a big difference by
streamlining our transportation choices.
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