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Green Transportation - Travel
Eco-Friendly Travel Spots
Traveling tends to have a negative impact on the environment, mostly because of all the heavy transportation involved. Fortunately, there are a few travel spots that you can visit that can contribute to saving the environment, even if you still have to get on an airplane. These travel spots are home to some of the most rare species of animals and plants, and by patronizing them when you travel, you can help them to preserve the beauty of their region for many years. Botswana Botswana is best known for its savannas that are full of wildlife. It is a top travel destination for people looking to go on a safari. From the Okavango Delta up north to the deserts in the south, the region is full of lush vegetation and a wide variety of habitats and wildlife to explore. There are a growing number of eco-tourism groups in Botswana, making the opportunity to explore the nature reserves and national parks of the region available to travelers. Coral Bay, AU Coral Bay is a marine paradise on the coast of Western Australia. Coral Bay is home to Ningaloo Reef, which is the nation's largest and most accessible fringing reef. Boat tours are available to tourists ...- Bookmark :
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Fuel Economy
Fuel economy has become a priority issue for carmakers and car buyers in the wake of rising gas prices. Despite the high gas prices, drivers in the United States have yet to really latch on to smaller cars like people in Europe and Japan have done. Drivers in the United States have indicated that they are more interested in driving big cars that are more fuel efficient, rather than downsizing to smaller vehicles. Thus, the challenge for automakers is to build a midsize vehicle that can accommodate the need for 40 miles per gallon. This notion used to be thought of as out of reach without the use of a costly hybrid drivetrain. However, carmakers have found a whole host of other tools that can improve mileage substantially without having to downsize the vehicle. For example, Ford is putting their vehicles on a diet. Ford intends to remove anywhere from 250-700 pounds of weight, depending on the vehicle. Industry standards suggest that for every 100 pounds of weight that is added or removed from a vehicle, there is a one-mile per gallon impact on the fuel economy. This suggests that Ford's weight reduction will result in a 2-7 mile per gallon ...- Bookmark :
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Going Green Tune-ups
Across the United States, eco-friendly auto shops are making green tune-ups an option for all types of vehicles. Green Garage opened in 2009 in Boulder, Colorado with a second shop that opened in Denver in December 2010, both offering green tune-ups for vehicles. The green tune-ups have resulted in many new green auto products such as MicroGreen oil filters, which offer lower oil consumption and EcoTouch, which is a non-toxic automotive cleaner. Green garage charges customers $70 for the "Drive Good" green tune-up package. The "Drive Good" green tune-up package offers an oil filter that lasts up to 6,000 miles as well as biodegradable oil that lasts up to 24,000 miles. The more expensive package, known as "Drive Epic," costs customers $300 and offers a biodegradable engine additive, nitrogen-filled tires, energy-efficient spark plugs that offer up to 25% less emissions, and an energy intervention inspection that details how you can save on fuel consumption, in addition to the oil change. Green Garage is working to change the traditional image of the repair shop by referring to employees as greens-keepers, car huggers, and smileage reps. Styrofoam cups are banned, and employees ride mopeds and bikes to pick up customers cars and then ...- Bookmark :
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Europe’s New Transportation Plan
The European Commission made a statement that petrol and diesel cars should be banned from cities across Europe by 2050 to put an end to their dependence on oil and combat climate change. The Commission has drafted proposals that target road, rail and air travel that will increase mobility and eliminate emissions and congestion. The Commission has so far adopted plans for a Single European Transport Area that is for the purpose of setting up a fully integrated transport network that will cause a major shift in transport patterns. The Commission hopes to cut carbon emissions from transport 60% by the year 2050. The main goals the Commission hopes to meet by 2050 are: - The discontinuation of conventionally fueled cars in cities - 40% use of sustainable low-carbon fuels in aviation - 40% cut in shipping emissions - 50% shift in medium distance inter-city passenger and freight journeys from road to rail and waterborne transport - The majority of medium distance passenger trips (a minimum of 180 miles) should be via railroad - Over half of road freight traveling over 180 miles will be transported via railroad or boat - Key network airports will be connected to the rail network - Key seaports will be connected to the ...- Bookmark :
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Gas Prices And Public Transportation On The Rise
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) predicts in a recent study that rising gasoline prices will result in Americans resorting to public transportation in record numbers. The APTA is calling on Congress to address the growing demand for public transportation by putting together a better long-term investment in public transportation. The study's analysis suggests that if expert's predictions of regular gas prices reaching $4 per gallon across the country come true, an additional 670 million passenger trips can be expected. That comes out to over 10.8 billion trips per year. If gas prices soar to $5 per gallon, the study expects an additional 1.5 billion passenger trips, which would result in over 11.6 billion trips annually. If gas prices reach $6 per gallon, the study says we can expect an additional 2.7 billion passenger trips, resulting in over 12.9 billion trips annually. The APTA President William Millar stated that the rising prices at the gas pumps are a serious wake up call for our country to deal with the rising demand for public transportation services. Without major, long-term investments in public transportation, Americans will be limited by travel options or in the worst-case scenario, stranded. Public transportation is the best ...- Bookmark :
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