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Green Commuting: Getting Techie
Car Sharing services are systems by which a fleet of cars (or other vehicles) is jointly-owned by the users, or in which users pay a membership fee to use available cars. They are generally considered to reduce car use through incentivising public transport, and shifting costs of motoring from ownership and maintenance, to the number of miles driven. Zipcar is the most well known car-sharing service.
Carpooling services are systems or organizations that offer to match up commuters, or other travelers making a similar journey, so they can share the use of one car. Often the traveler pays for a share of the gas used, thereby saving both riders money, and emissions.
Telecommuting is an arrangement whereby employees can work from home and enjoy flexible working hours and locations to enable them to work from home, or another location, rather than traveling to a central office location.
Biodiesel is a replacement fuel for regular diesel made from plant or animal fats. These can either be virgin oils grown specifically for fuel, or waste cooking oils or animal fats from meat processing plants. Biodiesel is generally considered to have a lower carbon footprint than fossil fuels, though this depends on the feedstock used to make it. Waste resources are much more environmentally preferable to virgin oils. Most diesel cars can run on biodiesel without the need for an engine conversion.
Ethanol is an alcohol-based biofuel that can replace gasoline in cars that have been designed to use it. It is often prepared from food crops such as corn or sugar cane, prompting fears that increased usage will threaten food prices. However, cellulosic ethanol, i.e. ethanol made from woodier materials that are often wasted, is being touted as a possible solution to this problem.
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