Transportation For Good
From WikiForGood
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Auto Technology
Plug-in hybrids can achieve 80+ miles per gallon and reduce maintenance costs. They are significantly cleaner than regular vehicles because the electricity in the grid in most places is clean compared to car emissions, and if you can do most of your car trips on battery power only, then you are really slashing fuel use and emissions. (For even cleaner driving you can purchase clean power from your utility if it's available.) Join the Plug-In Partners campaign by signing their petition saying you want to purchase a plug-in hybrid. The petition signatories list will be sent to automakers to prove there is plenty of demand for plug-in hybrids!
Another alternative is the biofuel, vehicles, the diesel engine was invented and designed to run on vegetable oil. therefore we can re-modify conventional engines to use vegetable oil. There are several companies offering conversion systems grease car, greasel, and Elsbettt. The use of vegetable oil is expanding and is by far the most eco-friendly and positive way we can displace ourselves. Because they use waste vegetable oil as well ventilated car seats (March 7, 2006) can save gas -- "Some government researchers have come up with a new idea for improving fuel economy — the cool seat. The Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory reported on Thursday that if every car and truck on America's roads was equipped with ventilated seats, air-conditioning-related gasoline consumption could be reduced by 7.5 percent, thus saving 522 million gallons of fuel per year," according to this article in the New York Times.
Tango electric car with 80 mile range with lead acid batters, and twice that with NiMH. Zippy, highway-capable performance, in a super slender, but race-car-safe frame. George Clooney has been spotted in one.
Tesla (August 2006) Another all-electric speedster -- 0-60 in under five seconds, 250 mile range, 2 seater. The company plans to roll out a sedan in 2008. Watch out Toyota, here come the electrics!
Article: (04.10.06) Hybrid technology is starting to spread from the prius/insight to locomotives thanks to a young Canadian company called Railpower. Next up, tug boats may go hybrid as well.
Bicycling
Ride the City is similar to Google Map Directions but for bikes. Route your way through the city using the Safe Route (bike paths and side streets), Safer Route (bike paths only), or Direct Route (any streets). Ride the City currently covers: New York City, Chicago, IL,Seattle, WA, San Diego, CA, Louisville, KY, and Austin, TX
Google Maps has added bicycle directions announces Google and the Brighter Planet Blog (10 March 2010). "The new feature avoids roads that are unsuitable for biking, prioritizes flat and quiet routes, and unveils a new map notation that identifies in various shades of green bike-only trails, roads with dedicated bike lanes, and roads without bike lanes that are preferred for cycling."
Car Insurance & Road Side Assistance
Better World Club is a greener version of AAA.
Pay As You Drive Auto Insurance PAYD provides financial incentive for driving less, it is expected to reduce driving and congestion by 10 to 12%, according to Environmental Defense. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and services like GM's Onstar, allow insurers to track how far you've driven and charge you according. Savings are as high as 40% off normal premiums according to GMAC, one of the largest insurers in the US.
Carpooling
Goloco.org lets users seek out others with similar backgrounds for ride sharing.
Slugging "Slugging is a term used to describe a unique form of commuting found in the Washington, DC area sometimes referred to as "Instant Carpooling" or "Casual Carpooling". It's unique because people commuting into the city stop to pickup other passengers even though they are total strangers! However, slugging is a very organized system with its own set of rules, proper etiquette, and specific pickup and drop-off locations. It has thousands of vehicles at its disposal, moves thousands of commuters daily, and the best part, it’s FREE!"
AlternetRides.com According the Wall Street Journal (on Feb 2, 2006), "about 100 organizations, including ski resorts, hospitals and universities, have paid to set up destinations to which people can arrange ride shares.
eRideShare.com The Wall Street Journal reports (on Feb 2, 2006) that this service for the US and Canada is "one of the first carpool matching sites, it launched in 1999. About 39% of posts are requests for rides, compared to 21% that are offers to take turns, 33% that don't specify and 6% that are offers to drive.
NuRide.com includes a mileage-based reward system for carpoolers.
Carpooling in Boston
Cummute.com Massachusetts Office of Transportation web site where commuters can be matched with others going the same way.
Car Sharing Services
PhillyCarShare is a not for profit that allows members to use cars for $5.90/hour and 9¢/mile. "PhillyCarShare is perfect if you just need a car occasionally. Get fresh groceries, haul some furniture, drive to the 'burbs... — and park in a reserved space in your neighborhood when you're done. Why own when you can borrow? 55% of members sell or avoid purchasing a car, and 97% are very satisfied or satisfied." Corporate memberships are available too.
Driving
CleanMPG.com: "You're not truly driving efficiently until your're a 'hypermiler.' That is the term used by denizens of CleanMPG to describe drivers striving to exceed their vehicle's EPA feul-economy rating." (Quote from New York Times article 10 Web sites that Avoid Hybrid Hype (October 24, 2007). These drivers use techniques like avoiding quick acceleration and coasting whenever possible to boost mileage.
Walk Yourself Green Transform CA is commited to walkable communities in the Bay Area and beyond. Check out their Annual Car-Free Challege.
Fuels
10 Tips For Saving Gas from Edmunds.com. These include things like turning your car off rather than idling -- after all idling gets you 0 MPG! The Canadian EPA recommends turning off our car if you idle for more than ten seconds and the U.S. EPA says 30 seconds, so maybe we should split the difference and use 20 seconds.
Cellulosic ethanol, or ethanol made from agricultural waste, has promise as a sustainable replacement for petroleum based fuels.
Veggie Van Gogh is transportation, warehouse, and living quarters for Carol and Jan, gypsy artisans who criss-cross North America, peddling their wares at arts & crafts festivals, powered by waste vegetable oil. Learn more about Jan or send her an email.
GM
GM Exec Stands by Calling Global Warming a 'Crock' (25-Feb-08) GM's Vice Chairman Bob Lutz denies global warming in 2008. What more proof does he need?? What a sad state of affairs! I feel badly for all those GM employees suffering under this misguided leadership!
Greener Shipping
The U.S. EPA's new Smartway Program aims to help shippers reduce the climate impacts of cargo. Green Shipping World offers a directory of regulations, organizations, and awards. GreenBiz offers two free publications: Questionnaires for the Purchase of Environmentally Sound Transportation (March 23, 2003) and Good Practice in Freight Transport (March 21, 2006). These links were provided in a good article in Grist Magazine (23 May 2006).
Kite to Pull Ship Across Atlantic (22 January 2008) The world's first commercial cargo ship partially powered by a giant kite is setting sail from Germany to Venezuela. The designers of the MS Beluga Skysails say the computer-controlled kite, measuring 160sq m (1,722sq ft), could cut fuel consumption by as much as 20%.
Trails
Rails To Trails preserves old railroad right of ways by turning them into bicycle paths and green ways. A few of the resulting benefits include: easier, safer bicycle commuting, reduced automobile traffic and pollution, increased opportunity for exercise via walking, jogging, roller blading, skiing and biking, and increased property values near the paths. Let's see, that's a win, win, win, win, win...I'm losing count!
Volunteer Transportation For Medical Patients
Angel Flight West arranges free air transportation in response to health care and other compelling human needs.
