Road tripping is one of the best ways to travel, but it’s not necessarily the most eco-friendly option. Your vehicle needs fuel, which can make your trip high in carbon emissions. It could be better than flying, but it’s still not the greenest method of travel. If you want to take road trips but you’d also like to be sustainable along the way, you can make choices that help you to reduce your carbon footprint. By doing the right things along your journey, your road trip can have less of an impact on the environment. Here’s what you can do.
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Get a Green Car
No, not the colour green. If you’re in the market for a new car, it’s worth considering getting something sustainable. An electric or hybrid car will make all of your journeys more efficient and eco-friendly. Considering an electric Jaguar SUV or a similar option is a good choice if you’re a regular road-tripper, and it can be great for daily commutes too. When you’re looking at hire cars, you can also find options for hybrid or electric vehicles that will make your trip greener. There are plenty of things you can do for a more fuel-efficient drive too, including keeping your car well-maintained.
Use Public Transport When Stopping
Road trips aren’t all about when you’re on the open road. Stopping is half of the fun, and there’s always plenty to explore. But when it’s time to stop, you might consider leaving your vehicle behind while you go exploring. You can often find excellent public transport systems that are more eco-friendly, especially if you’re in a city or larger town. And when you’re not using trains or buses, you might find that riding a bike or even walking are alternative ways to get around. Find out what’s available so you can leave your car behind.
Pack Light
One of the ways to reduce fuel consumption for your vehicle is to make sure you don’t pack too much stuff. The lighter your vehicle is, the less fuel you will need to use. There are other benefits to packing light too. For example, packing reusable items instead of multipacks of single-use items can save you space and lighten your load. At the same time, it will make your trip more eco-friendly because you will be creating less waste. It’s easy to minimize your luggage if you know what you’re doing.
Eat Local
Stocking up on road trip snacks before you leave is natural, but at some point, you have to stop for a meal too. It can be tempting to be drawn towards fast food and the things that you may be more familiar with. However, going for these global chains is unlikely to be the most eco-friendly choice you can make. Instead, try to eat at local establishments that source local and seasonal food. It’s a more sustainable approach to food and you get to know what the local area has to offer too.
Driving might not be particularly environmentally friendly, but a road trip can still be made greener if you make the right choices.
