GREEN YOUR SUMMER TRAVEL
            In Northwest Illinois you don’t have to travel far to relax and enjoy outdoor recreation. But you probably will take a car or recreational vehicle to get to your favorite spot. Illinois EPA in the Summer 2011 Citizen’s Bulletin reminds you that you can be “green” when you travel by car. They suggest the following quoted from Earth911.com:

  1. Prepare to picnic – Grabbing fast food on the go takes a toll on the planet’s resources from the paper and plastic packaging to the emissions from trucking a load of French fries. Taking along food – or stocking up at a grocery store en route – is generally healthier and cheaper, too.
  2. Recycle on the go – Invariably, you’ll pick up snacks and drinks along the way, so plan for all that packaging waste. Stash a grocery bag under the seat to collect paper, plastic and glass, then recycle at your destination.
  3. Take the open road – Stop and go traffic is as wasteful as it is annoying, while idling (that’s zero miles per gallon) is worse. Avoid both and conserve fuel with a bit of planning.
  4. Go car camping – Now that it’s warm, consider car (tent) camping instead of checking into a motel. Many camping sites cater to motor home folks, so you can expect plenty of amenities such as bathrooms with showers or WiFi. Even with such extras, camping uses far fewer resources than a hotel room with air conditioning,
  5. Lose the extra weight – Loading up the car with too much stuff could reduce fuel efficiency. Every extra 100 pounds shaves up to 2 percent off your miles per gallon, according to fueleconomy.gov.
  6. Oil up the car – The proper grade of motor oil can up your gas mileage by 1 or 2 percent by reducing friction between moving engine parts. And while you’re at, make it the recycled kind: Valvoline recently rolled out a re-refined motor oil called NextGen with 50 percent recycled content for do-it-yourself oil changers. Or look for auto dealers and repair shops that use Universal Lubricants’s Eco Ultra oil, which contains up to 70 percent recycled content.
  7. Check tire pressure – It’s a good idea to check tire pressure frequently, but especially before a long trip and along the way. According to fueleconomy.gov, gas mileage improves up to 3.3 percent with properly inflated tires.
  8. Slow down – Observe the speed limit for better fuel efficiency. Anything above 60 mpg reduces your mileage, according to fueleconomy.gov. Sudden starts and stops from aggressive driving waste gas, too.

Or what about a bike trip instead? Zero gas, zero emissions. Plan out a route on back roads and smaller highways.
Della Moen, Earth Team Volunteer, NRCS/Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District, an equal opportunity provider and employer, 06/29/11 (for publication on 07/02/11 in the Journal Standard, Freeport, Illinois) Della can be reached at info@stephensonswcd.org