Tag Archive for "Automobiles"
How to Recycle Your Old Car: Donate It!
So you’re ready to put that old clunker in your driveway out to pasture. Maybe selling or junking your old car isn’t the best answer. Why not consider donation?
Perhaps it’s time for a newer, more fuel efficient car. Maybe you’ve had your eye on one of those fancy hybrids. Or maybe you’re in a position to take the big green plunge and embrace mass-transit or bicycle commuting.
Out with the old
In any case, something has to be done with Old Reliable. The conventional answer is to trade it in. But no matter how the paperwork gets structured, most car dealers aren’t really giving you what your trade-in is worth: after all, they’re in business to turn a profit.
You could literally recycle your vehicle, selling it for scrap. Most of its components and materials will eventually find their way back into the consumer stream. Or you can recycle your old car in a very productive way — by donating it to a worthy charity or nonprofit group.
Why donate?
Nonprofits have made a big investment in vehicle donation. It provides a very real non-traditional revenue stream for organizations who are used to operating on slim budgets. Donation saves the owner the cost of towing or sale, while often providing a degree of tax benefits. Many local public radio stations have vehicle donation programs, as do a broad array of well-known, well-run national organizations. There are also umbrella programs which represent groups of like-thinking nonprofits.
One such organization is Earth Share, a network of America’s leading environmental and conservation groups. Earth Share’s members include Friends of the Earth, the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, the Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, and a host of other front-line champions of the environmental movement.
Free pick-up
Earth Share’s vehicle donation program is well-organized: you fill out a form describing your vehicle; it’s reviewed by Earth Share; and if they agree to take your car, it will be picked up in about three business days. They can handle all fifty states, and there’s no cost to you.
Programs like this give you a chance to clear your driveway and support some of the groups you love. There are plenty of others — do a web search for “car donation” and you’ll find a big selection of groups happy to take a salable vehicle off your hands.
One caveat
In the United States, tax laws concerning vehicle donation were tightened in 2005. Before attempting to claim a donated car as a tax deduction, check the current rules or consult a tax professional. In most cases, you’re allowed to deduct the “fair market value” of the car. That’s not the same as the Blue Book value. Your vehicle may list at $1500, but if the charity only gets $200 at auction, that’s all you get to deduct.
You’ve still converted a liability to an asset, and helped a worthy cause at the same time. So put that old clunker back into the system, and smile knowing you have done some good.
Green-Up Your Car Before Holiday Driving
With Thanksgiving coming up tomorrow in the United States, a lot of families are getting ready for holiday travel. If you’re planning a drive, spend a few minutes making sure you car is out of summer mode and ready for the road. Remove unnecessary sporting equipment from roof racks. Open the trunk and take out that scuba gear or bag of golf clubs — every extra pound means wasted fuel. Check your tire pressure, and consider a quick oil change and tuneup. Have a safe (and eco-friendly) holiday!
Take the Ten Mile Pledge and Cut Your CO2
Reducing your household’s carbon footprint is all about making deliberate, progressive changes in your daily habits. Start with this simple challenge.
Want to lose 500 pounds in a year?
We’re talking carbon dioxide, of course. While non-toxic and good for plant life, humans simply make too much of it. Carbon dioxide is a prime greenhouse gas, and scientists say it’s connected to climate change — more popularly known a global warming.
You’re producing carbon dioxide right now. Not just through your breathing, but through the energy you consume every day. It’s a byproduct of nonrenewable power generation. Virtually all human activity — from food production to heavy industry — produces some amount of carbon dioxide. And despite plenty of public attention to the issue, man-made carbon dioxide production jumped another 3 percent between 2006 and 2007.
One of the biggest producers is automobiles. Nobody is expecting you to turn over the keys to your family’s car, but every mile we save in transportation is money in the bank, and less carbon dioxide (and even more noxious pollutants) in the atmosphere.
Ready for a fairly painless way to start making a difference? Take the Ten Mile Pledge.
What is the Ten Mile Pledge?
This is a pretty simple exercise. Put down, in writing, how you can save ten miles of driving each week. Just ten miles. Then do it.
You probably live within three miles of where you buy groceries. So an errand or two a week should do the trick. Consistency is the key. At Lighter Footstep, we strongly believe that steady, incremental change is the best way for most people to incorporate Sustainability in their lives.
If you can make the Ten Mile Pledge stick, your reduced driving will cut approximately 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year. More importantly, it will get you thinking about your driving.
Where to find your ten miles
Combine trips: You’ve heard this for years. Maybe it’s easier to do now with gasoline at record price levels almost everywhere. Making a weekly grocery list helps. So does keeping a driving log for a month or two to see if you can locate any wasteful patters. Think about where you usually shop. Would someplace closer do just as well?
Share a ride with another Pledger: Just like dieting, exercise, or quitting smoking, a habit is easier to keep if you have a buddy. Share the Ten Mile Pledge with your friends. Then take turns sharing a ride twice a week. That should do it.
Run weekend errands on bike or on foot: You needn’t pull out your bicycle to do every weekend errand (though that’s not a bad idea). Just walk or ride on or two little tasks a weekend. A trip to rent Saturday night movies could give you ten miles in a single hour. Bonus points if you return them the same way.
Investigate public transportation: Not everyone has access to useful public transportation. But if your community offers it, see whether or not public transport might work for you. A lot of people go multi-modal on their commute, driving to a central point and taking buses, subways, or light rail to their final destination. Get a schedule and see what’s available.
Declare one car-free day every month: Ever hit the office Monday more tired than when you left? Maybe that weekend was a little too full. Go car-free on Saturday or Sunday and stay close to home. Make yourself slow down, catch up on your reading, and unwind. Even if you’re not using the driving you save toward the Pledge, you’ll start your week more refreshed. And relaxation is a habit most of us could learn to love.
Share your ideas!
Can you think of other ways to meet the Ten Mile Pledge? Ready to go public with your intentions? Share your thoughts in our comments section. And please forward this article to others. The handly “Share This” link below the title will allow you to email the Ten Mile Pledge to up to five friends at a time.
Twelve Practical Ways to Green-Up Your Autumn
The arrival of autumn means cooler temperatures, darker evenings — and a last chance to get your home ready for winter. Here are twelve ways to get started!
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you’ve probably already noticed the first hints of autumn: a blush of color in the leaves; earlier sunsets; and cooler evenings. The winter constellations are slowly creeping higher in the night sky, and it won’t be long before we’re all involved in the downhill rush toward the holidays.
Spring and autumn are the “fix-up” seasons, as we make ready for big changes in the weather. What you do over the next few weeks can make a tremendous difference to the size of your environmental footprint through the winter. So we’ve put together a few autumn to-do items to get you started. Sharpen your pencil — and start checking a few off your list!
In the home
Checking wall insulation
- Check your weather stripping. You should do this twice a year. Look for cracks and deterioration, and verify that door seals are tight.
- Review attic insulation, particularly if your home is over 20 years old. This is the area in which you can make the most dramatic savings in annual heating bills. Take a ruler into the attic. If you have less than a foot of insulation, you probably need more.
- Seal window air conditioners. Once you’re past warm weather, unplug and seal your window units. If it’s practical, store them. This will also allow you to seal your windows with energy-efficient plastic film.
- Replace incandescent bulbs with CFL or LED lighting. Shorter days and cooler temperatures means more time spent indoors. If you’ve not already re-lamped with energy efficient bulbs, now is the time.
- Install a programmable thermostat. Smart temperature control can easily save 10% of your annual heating and cooling bills — a significant reduction in your household’s carbon footprint. Basic programmable thermostats can be purchased for less than $30, so you’ll recover you investment very quickly.
In the yard
- Start a compost pile. Compost heaps need both green and brown matter to get cooking — but there’s no shortage of carbon-rich leaves in the fall. Grab then while you can.
- Consider planting trees. Some varieties do well in the gap between summer’s heat and the real onset of winter. Consult your local nursery or agricultural agent for advice on what sort of trees might be appropriate for autumn planting.
- Bring your summer herbs indoors. There’s no reason not to enjoy fresh basil, mint, and rosemary through the winter months — and having some green indoors will remind you of spring. It takes a few weeks to transition herbs to indoor living, so start before the weather turns.In your car
In your car
- Most automobile owner’s manuals recommend a switch of engine oil weights between seasons. If you did this last summer, switch to your car’s recommended winter weight as soon as the weather cools.
- There’s really no such thing as a “safe” antifreeze, but if you’re getting your radiator flushed before winter, ask for a propylene glycol (PG) formula. It’s less toxic to children, pets, and wildlife than ethylene glycol (EG) coolants.
- Do you have a roof rack for carrying summer recreational equipment? Remove it until next year. Roof racks decrease your vehicle’s aerodynamic efficiency and hurts fuel mileage — particularly at highway speeds. While you’re at it, check you car for any unnecessary summer items, such as coolers or picnic gear. No need to burn fuel by carrying unnecessary weight.
- Evaluate your tires. Worn tread and improper tire pressure aren’t just bad for fuel economy — they’re not safe, particularly if you live in an area where highway icing is likely. Inspect, rotate, and balance. Whip out your tire pressure gauge at least once a month and check all four corners.
We’ll make this list a baker’s dozen: If you’re shopping for sweaters, jackets, and winter wear, start at your local secondhand store. It’s not just price — though shopping the thrift shop and rummage sale circuit can save your hundreds of dollars — it’s putting perfectly good clothing back to use, rather than consuming fresh resources. You may also be supporting a worthy local charity or civic group with your purchase.
So there’s a start. Once you get into autumn “green-up” mode, you’ll probably think of other small projects. Get to them before Jack Frost beats you to it. And here’s wishing you a rich, warm, and Earth-friendly autumn.
Do you have some autumn tips to share with the Lighter Footstep community? Please add your best practices in our Comments section!