Whole green resources for getting around, including cars, bicycles, public transportation and more.
At today’s auto shows, electric battery cars sit alongside hybrids, plug-ins, and fuel-cell vehicles. Then as now, no one technology has a clear lead, reflecting considerable uncertainty as the world’s energy picture goes through rapid and profound changes. Under the twin specters of climate change and peak-price oil, the 21st century will of necessity be a time of big decisions—by governments and by us as global citizens.
LEARN ABOUT IT
Your Online Mileage and Climate Guide
If you’re researching the purchase of a new car online, your surfing should include a stop at www.fueleconomy.gov, a joint project of the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency that offers the green skinny on every new car and truck on the market.
Check out the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup with four-wheel drive, for instance, and you’ll discover that it gets 13 mpg in the city, and just 18 mpg on the highway. In a year, it will use 22.8 barrels of oil and emit 12.2 tons of carbon dioxide—not too great on a scale of 3.5 to 16.2 tons. By contrast, the Smart Car for two (33 mpg city/41 highway) uses only 9.5 barrels of oil annually and emits 5.1 tons of CO2. You can also use it for used cars, since it goes back to 1985 models.
FEATURED
Here are three of the more than 1,000 Whole Green resources you’ll find in the catalog:
SCANGAUGE II
Fuel Economy in Real Time
Fuel economy starts with awareness. If your car gives you no way to track your mileage in real time, consider a plug-in device like the fuel economy computer known as ScanGauge II…
ULTRA MOTOR A2B
The Electrifying Bicycle
Electric bicycles have had trouble finding a niche in the American market, but they’re getting a second look as urban commuting vehicles and auto alternatives…
NOVICA CHESS BOARD
Turning Gears Into Games
Let’s face it, the car is among our more recyclable products; even so, human ingenuity is doing a bit more for the cause…
If you have a car with a manual transmission, drive in the highest gear possible when cruising at a steady speed. It’s not the sportiest way to go, but it will save gas.
