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Carpooling
Cycling
Driving Wisely
In-line Skating
Skateboarding
Telecommuting
Transit
Walking, Wheeling & Running
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Now it would be unrealistic for us to ask you to get rid of your vehicles and never drive again – so we won’t. But even if you have to drive, there are certain things that you can do that can help reduce air pollution and keep our environment healthy.
- Buy a newer fuel-efficient vehicle.
- Keep car tires properly inflated in order to reduce fuel consumption (tire drag can increase fuel consumption by 4 to 8%).
- Get your engine serviced regularly to ensure pollution control devices are operating efficiently and make sure that all fluid leaks are fixed promptly (a well tuned engine can reduce fuel consumption by 10%).
- Organize your errands so that you can do everything in as few trips as possible and travel the shortest distance.
- Don’t overfill your gas tank - gas leaks and evaporation contribute to air pollution.
- Slow down when you drive (reducing your speed from 120 to 100 kilometers per hour you can reduce fuel consumption by 20%).
- Turn off your engine if you are waiting somewhere for more than 10 seconds (other than in traffic) to prevent idling.
- Use a conference call for that meeting and save yourself a drive.
- Walk, cycle or in-line skate for those short trips and leave your car at home.
- Arrange rides with other parents involved in your children’s activities – save money, fuel, and time by not driving both ways.
- For distances up to five kilometers, ride your bicycle. For short distances, cycling is the fastest mode of transportation from door to door.
- Take transit to work or school a couple of times a week – every little bit helps (check out www.busonline.ca).
- Use an alternative form of transportation one day a week and you will reduce your vehicle emissions by 20%.
- Plant trees to help produce more oxygen and break down pollutants.
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