When you hear someone talk about biofriendly driving they aren’t just referring to lowering your emissions or saving money. Biofriendly driving is about doing what you can to lower the “footprint” you are leaving as a result of you driving in the first place.

Now, someone who drives to work is obviously going to emit more emissions than someone who rides their bike or car-pools to work. And, of course, someone who drives a hybrid is going to emit less emissions than a gas-guzzling co-worker. But what’s the difference in terms of environmental impact and are there specific driving tips that can help lower that impact?

1) First tip, before you buy a new vehicle, do a comparison. Take a look at key points including cost of the vehicle, MPG, cost of fuel, estimated fuel consumption (don’t forget to factor in savings if you use a good fuel additive), carbon footprint, EPA air pollution score and more.

Fueleconomy.gov has a great comparison tool where you can see all this information at a glance. Take a look at the difference between a 2010 Ford Fusion, a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and a 2010 Ford Fusion FFV (Flex-fuel vehicle).

2) Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving actually wastes gas. Driving sensibly can improve your fuel economy between 5-30% on average. It also helps lower the wear and tear on your brakes and tires. There is no reason to rapidly accelerate if you know you are going to have to slam on the brakes a moment later.

3) Follow the rules of the road. Speeding, running red lights, not paying attention to pedestrians, texting while driving, etc are all things that will adversely affect not just you but people around you. This simple tip can save time, gas, money and lives.

You don’t want to be a Mr. Wheeler…

4) I’ve said it many times before, but if you are going to drive please ensure you keep your vehicle properly maintained. Getting regular oil changes, rotating your tires and ensuring they are properly inflated, checking fluid levels, basic maintenance, etc. all help extend the life of your vehicle. Proper maintenance also cuts down on repair costs.

Using the correct oil can also help you save money and improve gas mileage. Did you know there are even “Energy Conserving” oils? But don’t be fooled, even though oils with that designation have passed tests showing the oil has the ability to conserve energy, the API states “…a particular vehicle operator may not experience a fuel savings as a result of using these oils.” Doesn’t say it won’t help, but you might want to check your owner’s manual.

5) When traveling long distances, try using your cruise control. Maintaining a constant speed can sometimes help save gas. Using your cruise control also can help keep your legs from getting sore on a long trip.

6) Drive less. It may sound like a funny way to drive, but driving less saves you money, gas and save on the harmful emissions your vehicle releases into the environment. I don’t mean you have to sit at home. Walk to your destinations. Ride your bike. Car-pool or ride-share. Take public transportation.

Try it….leave your vehicle at home one day a week and see what a difference it can make.

7) Tap into your GPS navigation. People who use their GPS to figure out where they are going ahead of time, typically spend less time on the road and less time looking for their intended destination. Saves time, money and frustration.

For those of you who are looking for more, you might want to check out a backseat smart driver:

Do you have any biofriendly driving tips that help you save? I’d love to hear them. Remember, drive safe and drive smart!

Image by di_the_huntress (via Flickr)

When you made your list of family and friends you are giving presents to this holiday season, what kinds of gifts did you put on your list? Did you include anything on your list that is used? What about recycled? Anything you made by hand?  Do you have any charities or individuals in need on your gift-giving list?  If not, I hope that you will take a moment to revise your list and see if you can do some biofriendly giving this holiday season.

I’m not talking about being cheesy or anything, I’m talking about being creative.  I’m talking about not wasting perfectly good items or in some cases brand new items and either re-using them or gifting them to people who can and will use them.  Let me give you a few examples:

1) Take those toys your kids don’t play with anymore and donate them.  My kids have a number of toys they have either outgrown or just lost interest in.  Instead of throwing those toys away, we’ve been going through them and putting bins together to donate them.   We also have boxes of clothes they have grown out of that we are donating to a local charity.

2) Re-gift.  Yes, sometimes re-gifting is frowned upon, but think about it….is it better to have a gift sit on your shelf for years until you finally throw it out or better to give it to someone who will use it?  If you don’t feel right about re-gifting or you can’t remember who gave you the gift and don’t want to inadvertently give it back, then donate the gift.  There’s really no reason to clutter up your home with items you don’t use.

3) While you might be in a crunch to get last minute gifts, shopping online might not be your best option.  It might be the most convenient in terms of avoiding the post office at this time of year, but is it really the best choice in terms of environmental impact?  Believe it or not, there are companies who waste materials when they ship, so if you do resort to last minute online shopping, please request minimal packaging, i.e. there’s no reason for them to ship a small rattle in a huge box.

4) Give a simple gift to yourself and the environment, by recycling over the holidays.  Make an early resolution that from today until the end of the year you will see how many cans, bottles, etc you can recycle.  Then take them to a local recycling center and see how much you “saved”.  Not only will it prevent those recyclables from being put into a local landfill, but you will be able to earn a little extra cash for your efforts.

5) If you have some talent like baking, drawing, writing, singing, etc then consider giving simple, handmade gifts to your family that represent your talents.  I have kids and one of the things that their grandparents want more of are photos….so, I’m trying to put together a scrapbook for each set of grandparents this year.  (Hmmm…hopefully this will be one post my mom won’t read or else I’ve spoiled the present, but I think she’ll forgive me.)

6) When it comes to friends and co-workers, think twice about this one.  If you really do “need” to give them something this holiday season, then be smart about it.  Find something they can truly use.  Also look around for gifts that use recycled materials – they are much easier to find this year than years prior. Another option is to give them a card or even a gift card….have you seen Best Buy’s gift cards this holiday?  The card is made from recycled materials.

Basically, what it all comes down to is think before you give and please don’t forget to donate this holiday season to those less fortunate than you. I can pretty much guarantee there are at least two things in your home that you don’t really need or use.  Take a look and either re-gift or donate them.  There is no reason you can’t do some biofriendly giving this holiday season!

Image by Richard0

Now I’m not going to be talking about things like going out and buying a new hybrid or getting rid of your car by donating it to a good cause (although you could do those things).  I’m talking about simple things anyone and everyone can do today to be a little more biofriendly or environmentally-conscious.

I know there are many, many things you could and should do, however I chose these because they are things you don’t need a lot of money to do and don’t need a lot of time to do.  But each one of them makes a difference….even if a small one.  Remember, some of the biggest changes have started out from the smallest actions.

1) Get some fresh fruit and/or veggies and make yourself a snack.  Eating fresh fruit and vegetables rather than canned is better for you.  Not just because they taste better or because you were always told to eat fresh fruit and vegetables, but also because, (starting back in the 60’s) BPA has been used to line the insides of cans in order to extend shelf life.  Who wants to eat that?  Less canned, more fresh!

2) Recycle.  You hear it or see it on signs everyday, but do you recycle?   It doesn’t take a lot to recycle and it makes a difference.  Maybe if there were more programs like the one set up by One Earth Recycling, more people would be incentivized to recycle…but until then, you CAN make a choice to do it yourself.  You’ll even get paid to do it.

3) Pick it up.  By that I mean don’t walk by the trash you see on the ground.  It’s an unfortunate, but true fact that almost anywhere you go you see trash on the ground.  Something that someone didn’t bother to put in the trash can.  Why people drop their trash on the ground, I don’t know.  But it takes almost no effort to pick it up and put it in a trash container.  It makes the area look a lot better when trash isn’t sitting around or flying down the street.  (My daughter picks up trash she sees…so you can do it too.)

4) Go for a walk.  Look around at the beautiful trees, sky, flowers and even some bugs, butterflies or birds.  Doing this will not only get you some exercise and fresh air, it will help connect you back to nature.  If you have kids, bring them along – find something you’ve never seen before and see what you can learn about the great outdoors.  How can you be a friend of the environment if you aren’t aware of the environment around you?

5) Set your thermostat.  If you don’t have an adjustable thermostat, it is something you might want to think about.  With weather changing and winter upon us, you need to set your thermostat accordingly.   This will help you save money on heating and electric bills too.

Now, like I said there are tons of other things you can do to be more biofriendly such as turning off your lights when you aren’t using them, conserving water, using grey water to water your plants, planting your own herbs and vegetables, taking public transportation, using a proven fuel additive, car-pooling, etc, etc.  And if you want more tips on going green and becoming more biofriendly, you should check out “365 Ways to Go Green“.   So…what are you going to do today to be more biofriendly?