Driving

** The 2011 Model Year Vehicle Rankings can be seen here**

We humans are busy. We like to go, go, go, and that means drive, drive, drive. For every gallon of gasoline used, the average car produces about 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO²), the largest contributor to greenhouse climate change, with one-third of greenhouse gas emissions coming from the transportation sector. 

The planet’s living creatures pay a high price for our mobility. Humans alone suffer a multitude of potentially harmful pollutants that can trigger asthma attack and other ailments. Asthma is a significant public health concern in NJ, especially among children (up to 25% of NJ’s school-age children are asthmatic) and the elderly. 

But, there’s great news at the end of this story.   There are other ways to get around besides gas- powered vehicles.  More standard hybrid vehicles (combination electric and gas motors) are now in development, joining the Toyota Prius. New plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are due in 2010; the Chevy Volt being one of them. And, electric vehicles (EVs)  are also on their way, with the Nisson Leaf in 2010.   

Even better, you can use your own power to get around -- walking, biking, roller-blading.  

Instead of driving into the city, take New Jersey Transit.  Going to the Meadowlands for a concert or a game?  Take New Jersey Transit.  Going farther afield?  Amtrak can take you all around the country -- even up to Canada! 

Whenever you can, you should walk or ride your bike into town.  

Biodiesel

Biodiesel is available in Maplewood!  Wooley's, on Burnett Avenue in Maplewood offers B5 or B20 -- 5% or 20% bio-diesel mixes.  Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel.  It contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level (like the B5 and B20 levels) with regular petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in regular diesel engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.  For more information on biodiesel, check out the National Biodiesel Board.

For more information on Woolley and the biodiesel available in Maplewood, check out their site.

For more information on hybrid cars, click here.

Engines (cars): starting a car uses about 10 second worth of gas, as you can see here. 

Engines (trucks and buses): Seems like the magic number for diesel trucks and buses is 30 seconds, as described here.

Fuel economy information is available here.