What YOU Can Do to Reduce Pollution?

What YOU Can Do to Reduce Pollution?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has prepared this fact sheet to answer some of the most common questions about reducing emissions from private vehicles.

This is an important concern, as cars are a major source of air pollution in the United States. Vehicle emissions contribute to health and environmental problems such as urban smog, air toxics, and global warming. Yet individual driving habits make a big difference in the amount of pollution a car produces.

Three easy things you can do to help keep emissions as low as possible are:

• Avoid unnecessary driving
• Maintain your car properly
• Drive your car wisely

By combining these strategies, you can very effectively reduce the amount your car pollutes. And there are additional benefits — your car will last longer and you will save money.

Avoid Unnecessary Driving

The most effective way to reduce emissions from your vehicle is to use it less.
Vehicle travel in this country is doubling every 20 years. Traffic trends that see
more and more cars driving more and more miles will soon begin to outpace
technological progress in vehicle emission control.

Several options are available to help you reduce the amount you drive. These
include consolidating trips, telecommuting, carpooling, using public transit, and choosing clean transportation alte
atives such as biking or walking.
By planning errands, you will get the most out of time you do spend behind the wheel. For example, call ahead to confirm that the product you need is in stock before you drive to the store. Plan to do several tasks when you go somewhere.

Drive to a central location and park. Then walk between nearby destinations.
Ridesharing can be an ideal way to reduce your personal contribution to pollution.

Every time you share a ride and eliminate a trip, you help the environment. Try pairing up for trips to work or to social events — even an occasional carpool or ride on public transportation will make a difference.

Biking or walking to your destination creates no pollution at all. And you’llrnincrease your fitness level at the same time.