Tesla Model 3 Electric Car

I have been eagerly anticipating the release of Tesla's "mass-market" sedan, the Model 3.  It is slated to start around $35,000 and most are expected to sell in the $40,000-$50,000 range including upgrades.  That compares very favorably to the approximately $100,000 range that the current Tesla models sell for.  Electric cars are definitely the future, given that fossil fuels are a limited, nonrenewable resource.

The car is very attractive, sleek and impressive, like the rest of the Tesla line.  The performance is definitely going to be lower than the current Model S, but it is expected that the battery should last 200 miles per charge, which is awesome.  Speed and performance will likely be good as well.  If you haven't already put in your pre-order, then you probably won't be getting one of these until 2018, unless you buy off the gray market!

Use Natural Lighting and "Air Conditioning"

This is part of my series: 20 Ways to Go Green that Make a Difference. This series discusses practical ways we can go green in our lives, that will have a measurable effect on the environment.  This is an alternative to the many lists that offer 100+ suggestions, many of which are not easily applied to our lives or the impact is minimal. 

The summer is coming, and that means long days and hot weather.  For many people this means high bills from central air conditioning.  This is one of the most wasteful and unnecessary creature comforts that human society has.  While it is comfortable and pleasant, there are plenty of ways that we can mitigate the environmental waste and damage caused by these creature comforts.

Since summer is coming, the days are going to be much longer.  This means that we will not need to waste as much electricity on lighting, since days are going to last longer.  It is important to harness as much natural light in both office and residential settings.  Large, well placed windows will allow us to bath in the radiance of the sun, and avoid wasting electricity for artificial lighting.  This is fairly straight-forward, but the design of many buildings does not effectively take advantage of the free solar lighting offered.  To make this change, demand windows and natural lighting.  Also, if you have it available to you, make sure to take advantage of it, and consciously turn off lights if they can be avoided.  Furthermore, get out and enjoy the sun, especially for those of us who live in the northern part of the country, take advantage of long summer days and get outside in the evenings rather than watching TV indoors.  Have a bar-be-que, play sports, or just lounge outside with a book.  Free lighting everywhere!  I also try to take advantage of this in the winter, by going to bed earlier, so I do not need to waste electricity at night.  Candles are great, especially before bed!

As far as natural "air conditioning" this is a bit more difficult.  Obviously, everyone loves the cool comfort provided by central air and fans, but do we really need it?  No, humans are well adapted to warmth, and we sweat out all of our excess heat.  Instead of using a fan or the air conditioner, open up the windows!   This goes for both the car and the house.  No need to waste gasoline by using your air conditioner, just slow down and roll down those windows and drink in the breeze.  Although there is a chance that pests may get in your house, its not much of a bother, just get a screen!  If it gets unbearably hot, try to use low levels of air conditioning, rather than cranking it up to the highest setting.  Most of the time, you just need a little bit of conditioning rather than the frigid cold in the middle of July!

Drive Slowly

This is part of my series: 20 Ways to Go Green that Make a Difference. This series discusses practical ways we can go green in our lives, that will have a measurable effect on the environment.  This is an alternative to the many lists that offer 100+ suggestions, many of which are not easily applied to our lives or the impact is minimal.

As I mentioned in yesterday's tip, driving is one of the largest contributors to pollution.  In addition to driving less often, the manner in which we drive can have a huge impact on the environment.

Every time you hit the brakes you are wasting energy expended to get you up to that speed.  Driving slowly, at or below the speed limit will make you waste less from braking.  Also more fuel is used to attain and maintain higher speeds, which means driving slower will conserve gas.  Speeding up to 70 MPH from 55 MPH does not save you much time on your commute, so don't do it.

Another benefit is safety on the roads.  As a reader of this blog, you are someone who cares about going green you do not want to ever do harm to others.  Driving fast is not as safe, and by driving more slowly, lowers the risk of accident.  If a car accident occurs, expensive new parts or even a replacement is not a good use of resources, especially if it could have been avoided by driving slower.

Another green driving tip is to always maintain your car with scheduled oil change and emissions checks.  This limit damage done to the environment by dirty emissions.  This will also lower the rate of break downs and save you from costly repairs and replacements.  Not idling in your car, when it is unnecessary, will also conserve gas.  Turning the AC off and opening your windows will help the environment as well.

Drive Less, Walk, Bike, or Use Public Transit instead

Driving in the car is one of the biggest problems with pollution in our society.  Although, it may be unavoidable, especially in the suburban sprawl that most the US population is located in, there are many ways to mitigate the damage of this unnecessary evil.  The first way to go green in regards to the car is to drive less.  If you don't need to go somewhere, don't just take a drive on a whim.  Consider carpooling, so multiple people do not drive to the same location, wasting fuel and polluting the environment.  Make sure to take a well-planned trip, when you do drive in the car, get multiple things done in a single trip, rather than leaving the house each time you need a single item.

There are many transportation alternatives, although they are most applicable in urban environments.  Public transport is very convenient in many cities and is a great way to go green.  Moving multiple people in a single vehicle, rather than each of them driving in their own vehicle.  Many buses use clean natural gas, and subway trains utilize electricity.  If the trip is short, then just walk, you will get exercise, and also benefit the environment.  Consider riding your bike for short-mid length trips, that don't require you to carry many things, it uses no energy and is quite fun!

Other options to consider are hybrid vehicles, like the Toyota Prius, which get 50 MPG.  When shopping for cars, consider their environmental impact, especially based on your needs.  For example, as a single commuter, you don't need a Jeep SUV, go for something smaller.

This is part of my series: 20 Ways to Go Green that Make a Difference. This series discusses practical ways we can go green in our lives, that will have a measurable effect on the environment.  This is an alternative to the many lists that offer 100+ suggestions, many of which are not easily applied to our lives or the impact is minimal.