The Conscious Consumer Shops for Transportation

In a perfect world, we'd be able to walk and ride our bikes pretty much everywhere. Unfortunately, bicycles aren't very convenient for hauling two kids to elementary school at 7 in the morning, particularly when that school is 10 miles away and it's raining. Nor is walking a great option for bringing home a week's worth of groceries from the organic farmer's market across town.

So, what is a conscious consumer to do when we still have to get from Here to There all the time, on time, but we want to do it in the most eco-friendly a way possible? First, consider carpooling. Carpooling, also called "ride-sharing," is a great way to lower your energy consumption. It saves you money, reduces wear and tear on your vehicle (fewer repairs and less maintenance mean less waste and lower environmental impact), and it's a really nice way to start the day, provided your carpooling buddies really are buddies and not baddies. Public transportation is also a terrific option. Of course, this varies widely by locality, so it's a good idea to look up what's available in your area.

I just gotta drive.

Sometimes there is no way around it: you have to drive, you need your own vehicle, and that's that. The good news is that when it comes to automotive purchases, it's easier than ever to make eco-friendly, or at least less environmentally damaging, purchases. However, there is such a huge range when it comes to environmental impact and cars. So, before you head out to buy that new Hummer, consider the following (and please, please don't buy a Hummer):

Size does matter: One of the first things to do before buying a vehicle is to consider what you actually need. With regard to vehicles, from an environmental responsibility standpoint, bigger is definitely not better. Bigger vehicles generally use a lot more fuel than smaller vehicles, plus nobody likes parking next to a steel behemoth that's so big it can't fit into a regular parking spot. So first, think smaller. Do you really need a 7-passenger vehicle? How often do you use that third row of seats?

Know your routes: It's one thing to buy a hybrid vehicle or to scale back from a minivan to a smaller, electric car. But there's more to buying consciously than looking at the end product. Our vehicles are some of the most expensive items we purchase, so it's worthwhile to take the time to know where that money is going, what the company is doing for the environment, and how they reduce their environmental impact in the production process. Eco Tip: Toyota, Ford, GM, Honda, and Nissan are among the highest rated car manufacturers with regard to environmental responsibility.

Think ahead: Take a hard look at your top vehicle choices. Which one uses the least amount of energy to operate? It's easy to think only in terms of gas mileage, but cars need more than just gas. What is the recommended maintenance? Does it use widely available parts? What kind of fuel does it require? How do the emissions rank? If it's an electric hybrid, what will its impact on your energy bill be?

Conscious consumers take their time when they buy. Certainly, we don't need to do hours of research on every box of organic granola, but when it comes to buying something with the potential to truly reduce our environmental impact for several years, such as a vehicle, that research is truly worthwhile.

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