RNDL: Making Road Trips Greener

I am by no means a rabid environmentalist. I do, however, believe each person should do what they can to make our world more sustainable – from the simple act of recycling to the more adventurous off-the-grid lifestyle. And I do try. I’m not perfect, but I do what I can. So, as someone who extols the virtues of the “getting lost” variety of road trip, and as I prepare to be on the road two or three weeks next month, I had to stop and ask if, in fact, road trips are – or can be – green? At first glance, a person might say that they are not – and based on some quick research, that answer just might be correct.

I first wondered if there was any real difference between traveling to a destination by car versus by plane or bus. It seems that it depends on the distance traveled. For my upcoming trip, I’ll start in Houston, Texas and go to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and then, on to Arlington, Virginia. From there, I will return to Houston by any number of unplanned routes. (Remember, this a road trip. One is supposed to STOP and SEE things not just drive.) Using one of the many online carbon footprint calculators, I calculated the one-way flights from Houston to Knoxville, TN; from Knoxville to Washington, DC; and DC back to Houston. According to the calculator, if I travel by plane, I would be responsible for emitting 0.40 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Sorry, but I have no concept of 0.40 metric tons, but what I can see is that driving to all of these destinations – roughly 2,850 miles, round trip – I would be responsible for 1.17 metric tons – quite a difference. What it doesn’t take in to account, though, is road travel to and from the airports.

It seems that shorter trips are sometimes better in the car. For instance, using the same calculator, I chose an often traveled route from Houston to Tyler, Texas (where I go to visit family and friends). By car, the calculator estimates that I would be emitting 0.07 metric tons of carbon dioxide; by plane, 0.11.

Interesting, but how can I salve my conscious about emitting so much of something I can’t see or comprehend by driving? Let’s go back to the Web. There are several sites that offer great tips on driving and traveling greener, including Traveling Green, the Drive Smarter Challenge and the International Ecotourism Association. From these, I put together a simple mnemonic device that, hopefully, will make it easier for me – and you – to make road trips a little greener. (It uses the letters on the gear shift – Reverse, Neutral, Drive and Low – or RNDL. Clever, huh?)

• Repair your car. Simple “fixes” like maintaining proper tire inflation, rotating tires, getting regular tune-ups, checking and replacing air filters regularly, and selecting the right oil can improve overall gas mileage thus reducing fuel consumption, emissions and costs.
• Neutralize your drive. Once you are at your destination, park your car and seek out alternative transportation, like tour buses, trolleys, light rail or bicycles – or, better yet, walk. If renting a car, request an all-electric vehicle or hybrid. If you just have to use your car, consider purchasing carbon offsets from any one of a number of online organizations. (Honestly, I’ve never bought carbon offsets, but if you have, I would like to hear what you think.)
• Drive smarter. I won’t get into the debate over whether driving with your windows up or down provides better gas mileage, but some of the advice from the Web includes using cruise control, reducing idling, avoiding “jack rabbit” starts and stops, and slowing down – or at least, maintaining the posted speeds. (Please, don’t get me started on this last one. It’s not only better on gas mileage not to speed but can save lives. We all want to get home safe, guys!)
• Lighten the load. In everyday driving, I had often heard of and thought about the other steps – keeping my car maintained, taking alternative transportation and driving better – but some of the tips on driving with a lighter load actually made me think. For instance, I had planned to install a car top carrier for the trip, but it can create major drag on your car, forcing the engine to work harder and use more gas. One other tip was to watch how much weight was carried in our trunks – and in our suitcases. Does everyone on the trip need their own big bottle of shampoo, or could everyone share a bottle during the trip? Finally, I include the use – or non-use – of the air conditioner in the category of lightening the load – on your engine, at least. Let’s face it. If you grow up in a climate that is hot and humid most of the year (i.e., Houston, Texas), you’re going to come to see air conditioner not as a luxury but as a lifesaver! So, is it better to keep the air conditioner off while driving and use the old 4-40 method (four windows rolled down at 40 mph) or keep the windows up and run the air conditioner? I’ll leave that debate for others. Personally, I have to have air conditioning. There, I said it. But what I have learned is that keeping it turned down cools the car better on longer trips that running it on high. My unscientific opinion is that on high the air disperses more quickly. Not sure if that is true, but according to the experts, turning the fan speed down does save gas.

Anyway, there you have it – a few steps that can help make road trips a little greener. I still have one unanswered question, though. If plane travel is, in fact, better when traveling a long distance, what does one miss by “flying over” the many sites, restaurants and small towns to get to one’s destination versus being able to stop and experience them firsthand? I think I’ll save that for another day.

So, what about you? Do you have other tips on making road trips greener? I’d love to hear them.

Photo: Cedar Atop Mount Scott, Oklahoma. Copyright 2010 Mark C. Osborne, III. All rights reserved.