Go Green: Environmentally-Friendly Holiday Travel Tips

The holidays just wouldn't be the same without a visit with friends and family. So for many of us who have wandered a little from the proverbial family roots, that means a trip by sky, rail, or road. Here's how to green your holiday travel.

1. Leave The Flying To Santa: Traveling by airplane releases significantly more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere (and therefore causes more global warming) than traveling by car or by train.

2. Tune Up Your Sleigh: If your holiday travel includes a road trip, make sure your car is in tip-top condition so that you can maximize gas mileage, curb air pollution, and save a few bucks at the pump. Get an oil change, check your car's fluid levels, belts, and spark plugs, and make sure your tires are properly inflated. Click here and here for more info about driving green.

3. Lighten Your Load: Go easy on yourself and the environment by pairing down your holiday luggage. Whether you travel by car, train, or plane, the more baggage you have, the more pollution will be emitted to get it to your location.

4. Offset It: Offset your holiday carbon emissions with companies such as GreenTags or Green-e that invest in projects to absorb or prevent the release of carbon dioxide. (Green Parent Tip: Carbon offsets also make a great gift! Click here for more eco-friendly gift ideas.)

How To Green Your Thanksgiving: Travel

More Americans travel over Thanksgiving than any other holiday. According to AAA, 37.2 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving, up 3.1 percent from last year. And while all of that travel is great for family bonding, it's not so great for the environment. Here's how to keep it green and still see your loved ones this Thanksgiving.

1. Take The Train: Traveling by train causes less environmental pollution than traveling by car or by plane. And just think…you won’t have to strap the kids into a car seat, worry about traffic, or have to navigate your little ones through airline security.

2. Get A Tune Up: If you are planning to drive, make sure your car is in tip-top condition so that you can maximize gas mileage (and make fewer painful trips to the pump). Make sure your tires are properly inflated to improve your fuel efficiency by another three percent. Click here and here for more info about driving green.

3. Offset It: No matter how you decide to travel, offset your carbon emissions with companies such as GreenTags or Green-e. Carbon "offsets" invest in projects that absorb or prevent the release of carbon dioxide.

Photo courtesy of Elvis Santana

Heat Things Up with Non-Toxic Antifreeze and De-icers

Brr...Well folks, summer is officially over and the crisp cool air of fall is moving in. Before you know it, winter will be here, and despite the best efforts of global warming, many of us will still have to deal with snow and ice this season. And while the white stuff isn't falling yet, the temperatures are already dipping into the freezing zone in many regions. So, I wanted to go ahead and post this information about non-toxic anti-freeze solutions that are safer for the environment, your children and your pets.

1. Ice Clear: This solution is a non-toxic, bio-based, food-grade solution that works just as well as conventional anti-freeze for de-icing sidewalks but without the petroleum based, toxic chemicals.

2. Birdseed: Use bird seed on icy sidewalks. It gives you traction, and the birds help to break up the ice while they eat it.

3. Vinegar: Mix up a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water and spray it on your car's windshield before you go to bed. It will keep the ice from forming on your windshield and save you that early morning scraping.

4. Propylene Glycol: For your car, look for an anti-freeze that uses propylene glycol in place of it's toxic cousin, ethylene glycol. Propylene glycol is still petroleum based so it is not great for the environment, but it is non-toxic and safe for pets and children.

Dive Into A Carpool

How much does your car weigh? Personally, I can't answer this question except to say that my car is pretty darned heavy. That's why I find it so disturbing with the findings from FuelEconomy.gov that "most vehicles produce several times their weight in greenhouse gases each year." The amount of time we spend behind the wheel has a significant impact on the planet. So if you are ready to make a change that will really make a difference, consider organizing an office carpool. Carpooling is a fantastic way to save money, reduce congestion and save the planet.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, each person that carpools saves 77 lbs of hydrocarbons (the nasty stuff that makes smog); 550 carbon monoxide; 33 lbs of nitrogen oxides; 9,900 lbs of carbon dioxide; as well as 500 gallons of gasoline every year.

Here's how to get your carpool up and running:

• Find out what kinds of transportation benefits are offered by your employer. If they don't have a policy established, talk to them about the government sponsored Commuter Choice program that works with employers to design commuting choices. Commuter Choice can work out a custom plan that takes into account tax incentives for any commuting benefits offered to employees as well as solutions involving flex-time, route planning, and van-pools.

• Seek out co-workers and friends who might be interested in sharing a ride. Don't know anyone interested in carpooling? Find fellow commuters in your area at eRideShare or Carpool Connect.

• Once you've established your carpool, go over some Carpool Etiquette to make sure that everyone stays happy.

• Kick back, relax, and enjoy the guilt-free ride!

Park It!

The next time you're headed to the grocery store or the soccer field, make an effort to park in the shade. It will keep your car cooler in the summer and minimize the evaporization of fuel.
driving green

It's A Gas

Tired of paying an arm and a leg to fill your gas tank? Take these steps to save gas, money, and the planet.

1. Go Slow: Stick to the speed limit and avoid excessive braking and accelerating.
   
2. Pump It Up: Make sure your tires are properly inflated (underinflated tires reduce fuel economy).
3. Clean It Out: If your car is like mine, it is a rolling closet, fileld with clothes, toys, books, strollers, and snacks. But all of that extra weight may cost money at the pump. The Department of Energy estimates that drivers can save anywhere between 3 and 6 cents a gallon just by removing unnecessary weight.
4. Go Cruisin': Using cruise control, especially on long trips, can save you as much as 7 percent on fuel (according to Edmunds.com.)