Has your family planned any travel in the coming months? If so, you may want to consider scouting out some parking now. For many families, one of the most difficult parts of traveling is determining the most optimal parking situation throughout the trip. It’s such a common issue that recent research indicates Americans spend, on average, 17 hours a year searching for parking on streets, lots or in garages. As you may imagine, parking availability in major U.S cities, typically the mainstay for vacationers, is even more scarce. All of the time spent scouring for parking can throw your travel itinerary for a loop while simultaneously harming the family vehicles’ fuel economy. This post will detail the ways in which you and your family can save time and decrease your carbon footprint while traveling.
The most effective form of environmentally friendly travel is public transportation. Though it is a more limited option for travelers around the world, if you’re looking to travel locally in your area, public transportation is likely the cheapest option you have. For trips outside of your local vicinity with friends or family, another alternative is carpooling. Reducing the number of cars on the roadways, in addition to saving your travel group time, are amongst the reasons why so many consider this a useful alternative.
Following up on this, if your family does plan to take a family vehicle and make the drive, there are a number of ways to reduce the stress on your vehicle throughout these travels. It starts with the air conditioning and heating systems of the vehicle and extends all the way down to the speed you’re driving throughout the trip. If you weren’t aware, everything in between these elements can have an impact on your family’s vehicle and the environment. If you’re traveling during the summer months, or through warmer parts of the world, rather than blasting your air conditioning, open the windows slightly to circulate air. During those frigid winter months, rather than cranking the heat on each startup of your family’s vehicle, let it gradually build up while driving. Rather than being concerned with driving the fastest speed to decrease travel time, maintaining the posted speed limits have been shown to decrease carbon emissions as well as increase your vehicle’s mileage.
As your family travels to any destination, be mindful of how often you’re cycling your vehicle on and off. Turning the vehicle on and off too frequently can contribute to unnecessary carbon emissions and wear on the vehicle. This is particularly true when in a parking spot. For example, if your family stops at a rest stop to use the restroom, or snag a few snacks from the vending machines, turn off your vehicle in order to conserve fuel.
Traveling with the family is bound to come with challenges. Fortunately, with the help of the infographic accompanying this post, families can learn how to decrease their environmental impact throughout their travel. For additional information on how your family can reduce its emissions, check out the featured infographic below.
Author bio: Ian Todd is Director of Automated Parking Systems for Westfalia, a York, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer. Todd has more than 15 years of experience in automated parking systems in both Europe and the Americas, where he has held roles in product development, project management, marketing, and business development and sales.