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Every year it's the same; everyone heads home to their families at exactly the same time. If you travel, it's hard to avoid waiting in monstrous lines or sitting in endless traffic amongst tons of other disgruntled travelers. According to the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year's holiday seasons are among the busiest long-distance travel times each year. In fact, during the six-day Thanksgiving travel period, the number of long-distance trips (to or from a destination 50 miles or more away) increases by 54 percent, and during the Christmas/New Year's Holiday period that number rises by 23 percent when compared to the average for other periods during the year. So what are the greenest ways to make that trek home to the family?
- Travel by train.
According to Forecast Earth, train travel is the greenest mode of transportation. It moves the largest number of people with the least amount of energy output. Amtrak's energy information Web page claims that rail travel is the most energy efficient way to travel, and quotes environmentalist John C. Ryan as saying, "The average Amtrak train puts out two-thirds less global warming pollution per passenger-mile than cars and trucks, and half the global warming pollution of airplanes." And Amtrak's high-speed Acela Express service in the Northeast Corridor features advanced locomotives that are far more energy efficient than Amtrak's regular engines. - Carpool home or take the bus.
If you're coming home from college, ride with friends whenever possible. It's likely that you can find at least one person from the same place. So save half of your gas money by simply riding together. You'll also be doing your part to keep cars off the road. Or take the bus. Though not glamorous, it's cheaper and better for the environment than flying. Check out why you should Take The Bus, Instead of Flying. - Prep your vehicle for efficiency.
If you're driving, prep your car for the trip. Make sure that your tires are properly inflated, change the oil, and remove unnecessary items from inside the car to ensure fuel efficiency. According to Popular Mechanics, a single tire that's under-inflated by 10 psi costs about 3.3 percent of your fuel economy. So, four tires that are under-inflated by that amount could increase your fuel consumption by around 10 percent.
Related Links:
Travel Guilt-Free Through Green Volunteerism
Green Travel Tip: Eat at the Local Butcher's
5 Easy Eco Travel Tips That Make a Difference
Green-Travel Network
How to Go Green: Commuting
Feel the need for sustainable speed? See what eco-engineers are doing to create super-charged but low-impact cars, bikes, and planes on Planet Green TV's Mean Green Machines.
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