Reduce your auto mileage
Reduce your auto mileage
Why?
Simple math: Cut the distance in half, cut the pollution in half.
In Sonoma County, transportation – mainly the passenger car – is responsible for 67 percent of our local greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which magnifies air pollution with harmful health effects. (Tire wear from all kinds of cars causes pollution – tires are one of the most common causes of microplastic pollutants). To help lessen these sources of pollution and promote other networks of transportation, California passed a bill in 2020 that evaluates the impact of transportation using vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
What it comes down to is this: Do everything in your power to reduce your miles behind the wheel. The good news is you can reduce your auto mileage in several ways, including walking and biking whenever possible – as well as taking the steps below.
Consolidate car trips
This may require a little planning, but it’s a relatively easy step to take. One way to do this is to combine errands by having a set errand day. Or think about other errands you can take care of when you’re already out and about. And don’t forget to ask for bundled deliveries. Not only does this cut your mileage, but it improves fuel economy since multiple short trips from a cold start can use much more fuel.
U.S. Dept. of Energy: Planning and Combining Trips
SimpleStepsBetterAir: Combine Car Trips
Carpool
Whether you’re taking turns picking up a carload of kids from school or sharing a ride to work, what better way to reduce mileage than to carpool? Not only will this reduce consumption of energy and lower GHG emissions, but it will help with traffic congestion. And that doesn’t even consider the benefits of shared travel costs, reduced commute stress, and the social benefits of riding with others. App-based carpooling is one way to take full advantage of this approach.
Car sharing is another thing to consider. It may not reduce overall auto mileage, but it does reduce the resources and energy consumption required to build the vehicle.
The Penny Hoarder: Get in the Carpool Lane: The 5 Best Carpooling Apps
Carpool: Scoop or Karpool Club
511 SF Bay: Bay Area Carpool Program
Telecommute & hold virtual meetings
During the pandemic, many people telecommuted and held virtual meetings. The numbers of people working from home rose dramatically, reducing global emissions by 17 percent in the spring of 2020, compared with 2019.
The benefits of telecommuting are multifaceted: It not only reduces miles traveled – reducing emissions, air pollution, and power consumption – it may also reduce usage of paper and plastic. Another big bonus? It buys you time, which you can spend on family or exercising and preparing healthy foods.
However, be careful you don’t cancel out some of these benefits by driving a lot more just for fun. (In a California sample, the number of short trips increased by 25 percent during Covid). Overusing energy at home or increasing electronic and electrical waste are two other behaviors to avoid.
Virtual Vocations: 7 Positive Environmental Benefits of Remote Work
Harvard Business Review: Is Remote Work Actually Better for the Environment?
