STEP #4

Carpool

Get to know someone and save money. Carpooling is another quick and easy way to cut down on our oil consumption and contribute to kicking the country’s oil addiction.

If more of us carpooled, we would be significantly reducing our oil usage, improving the flow of traffic on our highways and increasing our air quality.

Currently “millions of us engage in solitary travel to and from work; driving billions of miles each year, spending a stack of cash on gas and pumping tons of emissions into the atmosphere,” say the experts at www.greenlivingtips.com, adding:

• A small car emits around .59 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile.
• A medium car emits around 1.1 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile.
• An SUV/4 wheel emits around 1.57 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile.

In addition to cutting down the carbon emissions, carpooling can save us thousands, according to www.partnc.org, a ride sharing site in North Carolina: “Taking into account gas, upkeep, repairs and parking, you can save $3,000 or more a year by carpooling.”

At a cost of 49 cents per mile to own and operate an automobile and .122 cents per mile for gas, oil, maintenance and tires, according to AAA Motor Club 2000 statistics, a 40-mile round trip costs $4.88. Multiply this by the number of times you make the trip, and it’s easy to see how carpooling can easily save you $6,000.00 a year or more!

Many states also encourage carpools with designated freeway lanes reserved for vehicles carrying two or more people. The more people who carpool, the less crowded our freeways will be.

Also ask if your company offers carpool incentives and opportunities. If not, you could be the one to initiate a program! Post information at the usual sites: bulletin boards, online intranet sites, online and via email. Sites like www.pickuppal.com and www.matchcommuter.com help connect you with commuters in your area.

And www.erideshare.com helps people who want to carpool on longer and cross country trips. At the time we visited, more than 6,000 people had posted ads for longdistance ride shares.

Other helpful sites are www.carpoolconnect.com, www.carpoolworld.com and www.commutesmart.com. A Google search for “carpool” will yield many results.

Taking this simple step will save wear and tear on your car, keep thousands of dollars in your pocket rather than in the gas tank and possibly spark new friendships.