Green Transportation

Green Transportation - by Roy Chatalbash, Weston Climate Group member

With the higher price of gasoline, many drivers are looking for ways to do more with less. That means utilizing efficiencies and thinking of new ways to do the things we do. For example, carpooling is an excellent way to reduce your use of fuel. With the aid of the Internet, coordinating with other commuters couldn’t be any easier. Check out www.Erideshare.com, www.ridecheck.com and www.rideshare.meetup.com for details.

Taking public transport is another good way of reducing your use of fuel. Weston and Wayland are fortunate to have three train routes to Boston. Wellesley Farms and Kendall Green are two commuter line routes and Riverside in Newton is the endpoint for the Green Line. Check the MBTA website for schedules at www.mbta.com.

Maintaining your car is another way to get a little more with less. According to the government website www.fueleconomy.gov, you can gain respectable improvements in fuel mileage by keeping your tires inflated properly, changing the air filter regularly during oil changes, and driving 55-60 miles per hour on the highway. Lastly, you might consider a hybrid the next time you are looking for a car.

A gallon of gasoline used yields almost twenty pounds of carbon dioxide. It’s a shocking revelation, given that a pound of gas weighs only six pounds. Unfortunately, it is the reality we must acknowledge every time we drive. So, the next time you do, consider that there are other ways to get more out of that gallon of fuel.