Green Living Money TipIn the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, here is my Green Money Tip for March — reduce how much you use your car.

Automobile emissions contribute a considerable amount of air pollution and the accumulation of greenhouse gases. The less you use your car, the better it is for the planet and the more money you can save on car expenses – particularly with the price of gas going up.  And up.  And UP!

Plus, it’s not only gas money you save when you cut down on the use of your car; your tires last longer and you can go longer between oil changes and other maintenance as well.

So, this month, consider the following:-

  1. Carpooling
  2. Walk or Bike whenever the option exists; and, you know there are those options, don’t you? :-)
  3. Take Public Transportation – sitting on a train or a bus gives you a new chunk of time to read, or just relax and nap!
  4. Telecommuting… some companies encourage it; most allow it; all acknowledge that employees tend to be more productive without the distraction of other folks in the office.
  5. Consolidate Trips.  Yes, it takes a bit more planning, and yes, I know, I’m always on about planning, but you’d be amazed how much more efficient you can be if you save up your excursions to when you’re going to be in that particular neighborhood anyway.

While these tips may seem pretty self-evident and obvious, each will save you money on gas, save wear and tear on your vehicle and go towards improving the air quality in your neighborhood.

Like so much of Green Living, it’s a mindset, and a plan.  Am I sounding like a broken record yet?  I tell you what, once I learned the skills of looking ahead and living with a plan, it’s amazing how much more present and fun I became.  When you take uncertainty off the table, you can live happily in the present; it’s a great way to be.

We Can Do It, Women!