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In addition to the ways mentioned to be "gas-ecological," there are
other ways that you can conserve fuel.
Don't drive around the parking lot for hours waiting for a convenient
space to "open up." Americans do this all of the time. Just think of
the gas that we could save (not to mention pollution) if we all just
parked in the first spot we could find, and walked! It would
probably save time, too (the reason we're so intent on finding a
"close" parking spot in the first place).
Use carpools, vanpools and public transportation. Although this means
that you'll have to give up some of your "freedom," it doesn't
necessarily mean that in the long run. If you don't do it now, by
your own freedom of choice (the pollution situation won't go away on
its own) soon regulations may order you to give up your freedom. If
this happens, it won't be on your schedule. It will be on the law's
schedule. They might order you not to drive on Tuesdays, and it won't
be voluntary. You'll be a "lawbreaker" if they catch you, and
punished accordingly. Don't wait for that to happen. If we all take
some sort of voluntary action now, it won't have to happen.
Use a bicycle, and/or respect those who do
Bicycles are a great means of transportation. Remember when you were
too young to drive? You didn't think anything of getting where you
needed to go on your bike. It worked just fine. You got exercise, and
didn't pollute anything.
We are seeing more and more cyclists on the road these days, but we
tend to resent them. We think that they are in our way. They are, but
they are also cutting down on pollution. Try to think that if they
were in a car, you might not make it through the next light because
they would be in front of you. Realize that there aren't many good
roads for bicycles and that if there were, the cyclists would be even
happier to be on them than you would. Don't think of them as your
adversaries. Just be glad they're not in cars.
Think about riding a bicycle yourself. If it wasn't for the danger of
short-tempered, mean-spirited drivers, cycling could be a great form
of exercise -- with a purpose. It's also great for the environment.
There are lots of trips you make that would be ideally suited for a
bicycle. If more of us rode them, then better bicycle routes would be
demanded by the taxpayers. This would make it better all around for
both bicyclists and motorists. More people would bike, and less
people would drive. More people would be healthy and feel better, and
so would the environment.
Call Ahead
If you aren't sure they have what you want, call stores to find out
before you drive there. Don't drive from store-to-store -- call from
store-to-store. You can even do price comparisons that way. Call
before you "drop-in" on someone to make sure they're home (they'll
appreciate that, anyhow). Using your phone can save you hours of
driving, parking and walking around.
Use Your Legs
Why is it, that even if we only live a mile from work, we drive
anyhow? Sometimes we have too much to carry, or it's raining, or we
have to do some errands. This isn't true all of the time. The truth
is, we just don't think of walking anymore.
Zillions of people are out walking these days -- it's called
"recreational walking," and it's all the rage. To do recreational
walking, the rule is, you have to wear special clothes and shoes, and
use your "spare" time for it to "count." Right? Wrong. You can walk
in any kind of clothes (although you might want to wear your
"special" shoes and carry your "work" shoes) and actually save some
of your "spare" time for something else. Try to work walking into
your regular schedule, lose weight, feel better and help the
environment.
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