The World has had enough of words like global warming and greenhouse gases. We need a Fossil Fuel Revolution that will minimize our global carbon footprint and encourage green travel—before it’s too late.
The rental car industry is being revolutionary leaders in the quest for more eco-conscious commuting options that are also budget friendly.
With this in mind, let’s look at what options are out there for green travel and rental cars, and what each of us can do to make our Earth a happier and more sustainable planet to live and drive on.
What is Green Travel?
People travel for all kinds of reasons. Most of us commute to work and we all like to enjoy a leisurely holiday (although our budgets mostly define our destinations). Many of us love to visit family over the holidays…the list really is quite a long one.
Unfortunately, there is one very negative thing that connects all of us who use some form of fossil fuel burning transport. When you travel, for whatever reason, you leave a footprint on our Mother Earth—a huge big carbon footprint. This is where we would like to go for assistance.
Read on to learn how to minimize your impact on the environment, at home, work or if you are traveling to another state or even country—without having to cancel your travel plans. Talking about travel plans, green travel or not, with the holidays around the corner, our post Romantic Road Trip Planner: Your Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Couple’s Retreat will give you a few good ideas for a romantic holiday. Why not hire an eco-friendly rental and give your love a Go Green boost? Car Rental Review can partner you with a suitable planet-saving rental.
“What is green travel?”, I hear you ask.
Well, there are two main pillars in the definition—the first refers to sustainable travel practices that focus on environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
The other is Ecotourism, which refers to travel that is specifically linked to natural areas. Although we care about the rainforests in Bolivia, and the Kalahari desert in Africa, for this post we will specifically look at the first pillar.
If there’s anyone who reads this post and wonders why the heck they should give a hoot about greenifying the way they commute or travel, I will start by telling you that 40% of America’s Carbon Dioxide or CO2 emissions is courtesy of the transport sector. CO2 is one of the main culprits behind global warming, and by minimizing and reducing our collective vehicular and transportation footprint, it will go many miles to reducing fossil fuel emissions.
Did you know that it’s not only possible, but also relatively easy, to be environmentally conscious when using green travel methods? You may also just save a little bit of green, by going green.
Are you Looking for Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint While on the Road?
When it comes to renting a car, there are several eco-friendly options that are much gentler on the environment.
Make an environmentally-friendly rental car part of your next holiday or road trip, and head over to Car Rental Reviews and look at what eco-friendly vehicles are available. Trendy eco-friendly cars are becoming more and more popular among car rental companies—so try it out and see what you find.
Can Hybrid and EVs really be more environmentally friendly?
People wonder how much more CO2 is produced in a conventional fossil fuel burning vehicle’s lifecycle than in that of a hybrid or EV. It can be confusing if you start taking into account emissions produced during production.
However, when you consider the entire lifecycle, including the carbon dioxide emissions saved by using electric power instead of fuel while driving, both hybrids and EVs are miles ahead—especially if they are powered by renewable energy and not fossil fuels. In fact, conventional cars produce twice as much carbon dioxide during their lifecycle as EVs.
You save money by charging instead of fueling because electricity is much cheaper than gasoline. A hybrid uses gasoline, but also generates a lot of the power they need with a battery. Electric vehicles go even further by running entirely on electricity. If you are of the mind that renting an eco-friendly vehicle is more expensive, remember that you will also save by refueling less with a hybrid or paying only a low charging fee for your electric car.
Become a Zen Driver and Have a Happy Battery
To keep your battery happy, and the miles flowing by, it pays to be attentive to the way that you drive. Angry driving usually translates into heavy-footed driving—draining battery and fuel. Accelerate smoothly and avoid heavy braking where possible and if you can coast without putting your foot on the accelerator, you’re saving energy. You can increase your efficiency by 30% by avoiding sudden and strong accelerations.
Nobody likes congested traffic, start and stop, start and stop…then crawl. Well, the batteries that power EVs do not perform well in traffic either. Plan your trip and look for days and times that you feel looks a little trafficky, and then avoid those routes completely.
Green Travel With Rental Cars – Give it a Spin
Several green travel and eco-aware cities, including San Francisco and LA offer quite a number of EV and hybrid car rental options. Keep in mind that you need to minimize flying as much as possible if you really want to have a smaller carbon footprint.
This would make a great entry point for anyone serious about their environmental impact: rent a hybrid or EV and drive from LA to Vegas. Make it a road trip with your teenagers, and read our post Road Trip With Teens: What to Do on a Long Car Ride?
Before you go, pat yourself on the back, because by having more people in your car and not flying, you have taken a huge leap to becoming a more sustainable green travel traveler.
Interested in driving a hybrid or electric car full-time? You can test drive a rental car without fully committing yourself to buying it. Make an environmental statement while you cruise along on your vacation.
Car Rental Reviews will help you find the perfect eco-friendly rental, before anyone can say, “Are we there yet?”