Green Transportation - Travel

How the Airline Industry Became Greener

Air travel may be the most convenient, easiest and fastest way to travel but it is as guilty as the rest of the land and water-bound forms of transportation when it comes to its carbon footprint.  We might say that the airlines are the menace in the sky for environmentalists - a necessary evil, if you will.  Fortunately, many measures are being undertaken to make the airline industry greener.  These measures range from the use of alternate sources of fuel to changes in aircraft design both on the exteriors and the interiors.  Hopefully, many of these changes will take effect in this lifetime. First on the list is the use of biofuels in airplanes as well as on vehicles used in ground support.  This is good news especially when the rising costs of conventional fuels are taken into consideration, not to mention their enormous carbon footprints from the oil fields into the airplane tanks.  Even related products like the de-icing and anti-icing fluids are now being derived from natural non-petroleum sources like corn and sugar.  Although there is still a long way to go before we can see biofuel pumped into all airplanes, one small step towards this goal is one ...

Coca-Cola is a company Setting a Green Example

Some people think that all this talk about going green is just a fad.  They laugh at people who buy organic vegetables, convert their home to solar power and drive hybrids.  Despite all the research, studies and proof that shows going green is a good thing and something that needs to become the new way of life, these skeptics still don't buy it.  Many skeptics even think going green is a waste of money or will be too costly to even be worth it.  So, is there any way to make them see that going green is not a fad or some silly idea? The answer to that question is yes.  Even the most skeptic individuals may stop and take notice when a large company, like Coca-Cola, decides to start going green.  Such a respected company has earned their trust and if they are going green then maybe they will see there really is something important and real about the movement to go green.  They can also learn that going green doesn't have to be difficult and is something they can do in their own homes. Coca-Cola's Green Changes The first move Coca-Cola announced in its go green movement was the switch to ...

A Car-free Adventure

Everyone needs a break from their daily hectic and stressful lives, whether it is a break from their work, family, school, or the tense environment where they live.  But some people are not able to go very far due to economic reasons or not having any time for a real vacation.  Whether going to a far away getaway or enjoying a local vacation, people do not need to further contribute to the air quality that is emitted by cars.  A “green” vacation, whether a weekend escape or a two-week vacation, means a car-free vacation. A car-free vacation involves walking as well as riding bicycles, animals, buses, trains, metros and subways in order to help you maneuver around an unfamiliar area that you are visiting.  It also enables you to make most of your trip by experiencing, seeing and enjoying more of the locale, ambiance, sites, people, and culture.  Tourists will not only be saving on gas and not emitting exhausts into the environment, they will also experience a more adventurous, fulfilling, exciting and memorable vacation. Such places include islands, mountains, deserts, beaches, ranches, and faraway exotic locations.  Whether a local or a far getaway, hiking, boating, riding animals, walking tours, or cycling ...

Connecting with People Who Want to Car Pool

Buying and driving a car have long been considered “rights of passage” in American society.  Who doesn’t know a kid who received a new car as a graduation present from high school? Driving a car also represents the ultimate freedom.  All you need to do is get in that car and go for a drive and you feel free…you can drive anywhere you want for as long as you want… as long as the gasoline holds out, of course. That’s a few of the reasons why Americans resist car pooling.  Another reason is logistical…many people live so far from their jobs, or from their other co-workers, that there’s simply no way they can conveniently carpool together. So, of course, the web has come to the rescue.  Here’s a site that helps car poolers connect: http://www.carpoolconnect.com/.  You simply input the zip codes for your home, and for your destination, and the site will let you know if there are any other people in those areas who want to car pool.  (Note that you have to create a free account before you can do any searches.)  The site also has a message forum where people can discuss car pooling issues. There ...

Green Motels and Hotels

You make an effort to live green at home, but what happens when you go traveling? Fortunately, more and more motels and hotels are embracing the green movement. Don’t assume that they all are, however.  As you plan your trip – so simple now that practically every motel and hotel, and every tourist spot now has its own website to tell you everything you need to know – simply check to make sure that your lodgings will be as green as you want them to be. What kinds of things do motels and hotels do to be green? 1.     Towel Program and Sheet Program It used to be that lodgings would change towels and sheets every day.  At green hotels, they do this only if the guest asks.  Otherwise, guests reuse towels for a couple of days, and sleep on the same sheets, before replacement.  (Obviously, once a guest checks out, new sheets and towels are provided for the next visitor.) By doing this, hotels save on labor costs, as well as water and detergent costs.  Towels and sheets last longer, too, by not having to be washed quite so often. 2.    Alternative Energy Does the hotel use alternative energy sources and practice energy conservation? 3.    Newspaper Program Instead ...