This month you can help improve your commute:
  by rethinking your commute: Many of us are addicted to our cars, but there are many easy ways to use the car less, with the added benefits of saving money and getting healthy exercise. If you can, walk and bike more often; take public transportation regularly; actively seek carpooling partners; suggest carless days in your work place; or work from home sometimes. If you drive, park a mile from your place of work and walk the rest of the way. Do the same in parking lots: park as soon as possible and stretch those legs. Consider this for added incentive: The approximate amount of fuel wasted in traffic congestion each year is equivalent to nine billion gallons, or 800 times the amount of oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez!
Fewer cars on the roads means less of the greenhouse gas emissions wreaking havoc on coral reefs around the world, better air for us all to breathe, and less water pollution from runoff from leaking oil and toxic car liquids.
By the way, if you fly a lot for work, try cutting back on air travel, a significant but often ignored contributor to climate change pollution. Before booking your next plane flight, check whether there are any good train or bus options are available; this great resource on getting around the world by train might come in handy, too. If you do fly, eliminate your CO2 baggage with contributions to carbon offset companies that invest in renewable energy to take up or save an equal amount of CO2.
 by slowing down but not being idle: Remember the Aesop fable of the turtle and the hare? When driving, it’s best to become a "slow and steady" driver, with fewer fast starts and stops. It may take a new mindset, but try to accelerate more gradually and slow down on the roads. Simply driving at or slightly below the speed limit will make a huge difference.
The fuel efficiency of an average car improves significantly on highways if you don’t speed; for instance, driving at 75 mph (120km/h) rather than 65 mph (105 km/h) increases gasoline use by 25 percent. Fuel efficiency improves even further if you slow down from 65 mph to 55 mph (90km/h)! And remember, one of the easiest ways to help our planet, save money, and reduce wear and tear is by turning off your engine if parked in one place for more than 30 seconds.
 by making your community less car-dependent and more ocean-friendly: You can help improve the quality of life in your community – and the health of our ocean – by making it more public transit-, pedestrian-, and bike-friendly. There are many ways to help, such as encouraging mixed-use zoning, speed-controlled streets, adequate sidewalks, easy-to-cross intersections, well-linked routes, safe bike-to-school routes, and the development of public spaces and an intact town center. See these resources for promoting walkable communities.
Supporting good public transit, such as buses and trains, is a long-term investment and requires a real commitment, but small actions like letters to your local paper and to public officials will go a long way to help. You can use this tool to measure the benefits of actual or proposed transit investments in your community. Don’t forget that the real costs of car ownership are quite significant, too. And remember, you can get started just by using your bike and setting a positive example. The more people see others commuting consciously, the more likely they are to do the same.
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