Sierra Mazda’s Guide to Green Driving: Part 7
Drive Less
Southern California Beach
This may seem obvious, but a hybrid driven 20,000 miles a year is probably polluting more than a new SUV driven 7,000 miles per year. To the extent that a hybrid owner feels liberated to drive more because of the efficiency of his or her vehicle, the impact on the environment could be detrimental rather than beneficial. Keep in mind also that miles-per-gallon is only a measure of the impact on global warming. The emission of criteria pollutants (NOx, lead, CO, particulates, ozone and SOx), which are responsible for smog, is a different measure than for CO2, which correlates with miles per gallon and global warming. Low miles per gallon comes with high CO2 emissions which will change the climate for our children. Criteria pollutants hurt us now.
The bottom line is that if you select your vehicle based on uses that don’t put a lot of miles on the car, you can accomplish a lot for the environment (and your wallet) by finding other ways to reach your destination when you aren’t using your vehicle’s full utility. In other words, if you need your SUV for activities you do on the weekend, finding a more efficient way to get to work might be all you really need to do. This starts with trying to live near your job or work near where you live. We don’t do that well in Southern California and many of us aren’t in a position to do much about where we live or where we work. However, if and when you are changing jobs or thinking about moving, the price of gas and newly emphasized environmental concerns should put the proximity of your work to your home higher on the list than it used to be.
Mazda MX-5 Miata 2009
Okay, given that you aren’t moving and aren’t going to change jobs, what can you do? Well, have you tried public transportation lately? Los Angeles has some trains operating and many of the buses these days have TV’s in them. You could be surprised to find that there is a convenient route that goes where you are going, letting you read, relax or people watch while you commute – and it might save you some money. Check it out at www.metro.net. Keep in mind that every mile you don’t drive saves you more than just gas money. Insurance, maintenance and wear and tear all go down with fewer miles traveled. It may take a little longer to take the bus, but the time can sometimes be used more productively than when you are driving.
Another way to reduce the number of miles you drive is to plan your shopping trips. Getting a lot done in one outing will use less gas than taking several little trips. Walking, biking and sharing rides with friends also reduce the number of miles you have to drive.
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