Vroom for improvement

Tips on being a green driver 7

I haven't had a car for 11 years. Not because I'm particularly virtuous, but because I moved to Manhattan where there's, um, no place to park one.

But my identity as car owner did not go gently into that good night. Before I left Texas for NYC, I fretted almost constantly about leaving my car stereo, my sunroof -- my freedom! -- behind.

And now -- well, now I'm fretting constantly about becoming a car owner again.

You see, two years ago, I moved to Santa Barbara, and while the public transportation is pretty good during the day, at night ... let's just say that my evening activities are pretty much limited to destinations within a 30-minute walk of my house.

This time around, I'm shopping for good gas mileage instead of a groovy sunroof. So last night, I checked out the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's list of greenest and meanest cars of 2007.

While I was trolling the site, I also ran across a page filled with tips on driving green. Now, most of them you've probably heard before. Don't speed. Don't start fast. Don't brake hard. (All advice I could have used in my younger days.) But there are also some to-do's that were new to me, like buying low-rolling-resistance tires. (Never heard of 'em -- have I really been away from the automotive world that long?)

Even if you're the greenest driver on the block, it's a great link to share with the "jack-rabbit" drivers you know and love.

Yolanda Crous is a Grist contributing writer based in Santa Barbara, Calif.

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  1. Biodiversivist's avatar

    Biodiversivist Posted 2:13 pm
    02 Mar 2007

    Before we got our, ah, new automy wife played stomp pedal. She used to brake so hard it gave me sweaty palms while in the passenger seat. She warped the front brake rotors not once, but twice. She used to know the body shop guy on a first name basis, John, I believe. But now... well, she has become a model driver watching the computer which tells you how to drive efficiently. And when she stomps the brakes, it warns her about that also with a little skid icon (ABS activated).
    The car comes standard with low friction tires of course.

    In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world

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  2. JMG's avatar

    JMG Posted 10:19 am
    03 Mar 2007

    Why not start a carsharing group?Rather than buy yourself a car that will sit 95% of the time, why not organize a car sharing coop or join an existing car sharing operation?  Not only will you save money, but the environmental cost of each car is reduced when more and more people rely on it for that 5% of the time that they need it.

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  3. amazingdrx Posted 10:32 pm
    03 Mar 2007

    Used carsGet a late 90s economy car, Toyota or Honda, with a bad engine.  They are very cheap.
    Have it converted to electric with a 30 mile range.  There are conversion groups out there, find one near you and let them advise you on preffered models that are easily converted. Conversion kits run around 10,000 bucks.  Labor will be extra, maybe 2000?
    Have the conversion place nstall a diesel generator if you need over 30 mile range.  Run it on biodiesel made from waste cooking grease.
    You will have a plugin serial hybrid for around 15k.  Much better than buying a brand new economy car.

    http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

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  4. Delay And Deny's avatar

    Delay And Deny Posted 1:42 am
    04 Mar 2007

    I Can't Help Myself

    I drive a 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix -- it has the 6 cyclinder 3.1 engine.
    It's one of the most powerful production cars ever made.
    I'm sorry, but when that light turns green, I have to floor it!
    Put Some D's on Dat !

    The Texeme Construct offers international text memetics construction and textcasting services.

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  5. jnelblack Posted 5:26 am
    04 Mar 2007

    Why walk or drive......when you can bike? A 30-minute bicycle ride will get you approximately 6-8 miles (or more), depending on your strength and the terrain. Add a set of good lights for visibility at night, fenders and rain gear for inclement weather, and you are set! Check out the League of American Bicyclists' website for helpful tips:

    http://www.bikeleague.org/ (main website)

    http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education/ (courses on commuting and riding safely in traffic)

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  6. pecan tower Posted 6:21 pm
    04 Mar 2007

    i have to second what jnelblack saidnot saying you shouldn't get a car, but...
    santa barbara has a semi-arid mediterranean climate, meaning if you had a bike, you could extend your 30 minute trip distance to 5-7 miles, and you could ride in comfort year round.

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  7. Biodiversivist's avatar

    Biodiversivist Posted 1:04 pm
    06 Mar 2007

    Make it an electric hybrid bikewith fast charge li ion batteries and you will have a fast, sweat free commute to work, or a workout if you want to go really fast on the way home.

    In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world

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