From Guest Blogger Shaun Chatman: The Greenest Ways to Get Around — How Cars, Scooters, Motorcycles, and Bikes Measure Up
Whether you are headed to the office or the grocery store, walking doesn’t always cut it. Some modes of transportation are better than others, especially when it comes to keeping your carbon footprint low.
Scooters – Not as Environmentally Friendly as You Thought
Image via Flickr by Andi Licious
Many people today are getting scooters because they think they are ‘greener’ than almost any other option. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
If you travel 12,000 miles in a year, and get 80 miles per gallon, it emits about 2943 lbs of CO2 per year. It would use 150 gallons of gas.
If you use 1 quart of oil per oil change, and change the oil every 3,000 miles, you will use 1 gallon of oil per year.
VOCs (PM10, NOx, and SOx) are about 2,500 milligrams/mile.
Motorcycles – Smog is in the Air
Image via Flickr by ronsaunders47
It has been shown that motorcycles are more fuel-efficient than cars. However, this does not necessarily mean that they are better for the environment.
- If you travel 12,000 miles in a year, and get 40 miles per gallon, this emits about 5887 lbs of CO2. It uses about 300 gallons of gas.
- If you use 1 quart of oil per oil change, and change the oil every 3,000 miles, you will use 1 gallon of oil per year.
- VOCs created by this motorcycle would be about 6,800 milligrams/mile.
Cars – Lower Fuel Efficiency but Fewer Pollutants
Image via Flickr by epSos.de
Car manufacturers are taking emissions and fuel efficiency into account more. The older the car is, the worse emissions it will have.
- An average car that travels 12,000 miles in a year, and gets 25 miles per gallon emits about 9,420 lbs of CO2 per year. This car would use 480 gallons of gas.
- If you use 2 quarts of oil per oil change, and change the oil every 3,000 miles, you will use 2 gallons of oil per year.
- Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) created by this car would be about 1,200 milligrams/mile.
Bicycles – Zero Smog, Zero Gas
Image via Flickr by Debarshi Ray
This mode of transportation is the best on the environment, and the best for your body.
- If you ride your bike 12,000 miles in a year, that’s great. There will be 0 CO2 emissions from the bike. It will use no gas.
- There are no required oils, but it’s possible that tires will have to be replaced after a prolonged period of time.
- VOCs created by this bike would be about 0 milligrams/mile
Cut Down Your Carbon Footprint With a Carpool
Image via Flickr by Richard Drdul
Do you work a long distance from your home? Get a carpool going; this will help create less carbon emissions, due to fewer cars on the road. Insurance is important when you have a carpool, check AutoInsurance.us rates by state for the best deals.
Cutting down your carbon footprint is important. Making sure that your mode of transportation is ‘green’ is one of the many ways you can do your part to help improve our environment.
Resources:
http://depletedcranium.com/mythbusters-tackles-the-motorcycle-vs-car-enviornmental-issue/
http://20somethingfinance.com/the-economics-of-owning-a-motor-scooter-vs-a-car/
http://www.motoringonabudget.co.uk/using-motorbike-scooter-instead-car.html
http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/eco-friendly-scooter
http://www.greenstudentu.com/encyclopedia/green_vehicle_guide
http://carbonpig.com/article/motorcycles-create-more-greenhouse-gas-emissions-suvs
http://www.afteroilev.com/emissions.php
About the Author
Shaun Chatman is a well published author on many authority sites. He lives in Dunedin, FL, and spends his free time playing with his kids or advising friends on tech, gadgets, finance and travel.
Few vehicles require an oil change every 3000 miles. Read the owner’s manual; many car manufacturers recommend going more than twice that distance before changing oil. Obviously there are good reasons for not changing oil more often than necessary.
Regarding motorcycle fuel efficiency, that varies much more widely than many people realize. Some motorcycles actually get fewer than 35 mpg; others average more than 60 mpg.
Hi Frank,
Thank you for reading, and you’ve made some fantastic observations. While it may be true that not all vehicles need to have a fuel change done after 3k miles, many cars do require them. Irrespective, keeping the engine well lubricated by frequent oil changes is actually a better way to cut down emissions than not. Thanks again!
Here is an article that points out that the average recommended oil change interval is 7,800 miles and that some manufacturers recommend changing the oil at 20,000 miles:
http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/stop-changing-your-oil.html
It also points out that although the recommended 3000 interval is largely to enhance the profits of the service industry.
Obviously failing to change the oil when it has lost the capability to protect the engine from wear would not be good; it would shorten the engine live. But for car owners, there is no advantage to change the oil more frequently then necessary.
There are laboratories that will test oil to determine whether it is still satisfactory.
Hey again, Frank,
I couldn’t agree with you more. The 3000 miles myth — unfortunately a lot of people STILL don’t consider this a myth — has been proved wrong, and I agree with the 5000-8000 recommended range, which still is not agreed upon by some oil manufacturers, is the more sensible and recommended level now. Irrespective, for purpose of statistics, I had to use the more popular 3k range to come up with the emission level. A lot of people still believe in this myth even now. Great insights from you, and I truly appreciate the time and effort you’ve spent. Thanks again!
Whilst using a bicycle is very low in emissions, it is untrue to say that bicycle related emissions are zero.
If you are cycling 12,000 miles per annum, then you will definitely be using significantly more food than if you are not cycling at all, and depending what you eat, this could result in significant emission levels – from agricultural inputs, food miles, and in the case of some foods such as rice methane emissions from the fields. (Not to mention methane derived from digestive processes).
Finally, there are indirect emissions such as when a car slows then speeds up as a result of having to pass a bicycle, and emissions associated with the construction and maintenance of cycle tracks.
Hi Gary,
Thanks for reading and some great points there. You did a great job of pointing out how ‘related’ things can cause damage directly or indirectly even when we are using seemingly environment friendly things. That is some out of the box thinking. Thanks again!