CommuteSmart

leaf Clean commutes with CommuteSmart are an easy way to go green, help you save money and even earn some green. There are other Smart green actions you can take in your community, at home and on the go that will preserve our environment and contribute to your bottom line.

Your Community | At Home | On the Go

Smart Green Tips for Your Community

Here are some other actions that will help ensure your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers have a healthy quality of life.

Location, Location, Location: You'll spend less time in your car if you live closer to work or near the activities you enjoy outside of work. When you're looking for a place to live, consider looking near your workplace. You can also see some more green in your pocket…put your information into our cost calculator and see how much you can save.

Choose Wisely: Looking for a new job? Ask yourself -- is it close to home? Does the employer offer teleworking or help finding a carpool partner or vanpool? A better commute to work means you'll be less stressed, save time and save lots of money.

Buy Green Products: There are plenty of affordable greener products that help the air we breathe: manual or electric lawn equipment, better insulated windows and doors, ENERGY STAR appliances and more. Do your research and shopping for these products online and you’ll save money and time in traffic.

Teach Clean Air: Teaching the next generation how to make smart, efficient and cost-saving decisions can keep their hometown beautiful for years to come. Small actions, such as recycling and biking to the park instead of driving, set a good example and empower children to make choices that help our planet. Check out www.auntielitter.com and www.alabamacleanair.com to find more eco-friendly tips for residents of any age.

By making smart decisions, you can have more time, less stress and help improve the quality of life in the region by alleviating traffic congestion and reducing air pollution.

Smart Green Tips at Home

Providing energy to your home adds to air pollution and can increase your cost of living. Save money on your power bill and reduce pollution by following these simple tips.

Conduct an Energy Audit: Take inventory of all the things you can do at your home to reduce your energy needs. Once you've made your list, prioritize things that will make the biggest difference on your gas and electric bills.
Insulate Yourself: Seal around windows and doors and add insulation in the attic, walls and crawlspace. This will keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Another Bright Idea: Replace a 100-watt incandescent light bulb with a 32-watt compact florescent light bulb and save at least $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

Buy ENERGY STAR products: U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy rate most appliances and other devices. From TVs to ceiling fans to washing machines, ENERGY STAR products use less energy, save money and help protect the environment.

Tune Up and Turn Off: Keep your air conditioner maintained. If you're planning to purchase a new A/C unit, consider a more efficient model. Turn off lights and the computer when not in use.

Timing is Everything: A programmable thermostat allows you to set your thermostat to take it easy when you aren't at home. Why spend the extra cash to heat or cool an empty house when you could use that money on something else?

Compost Your Way to a Better Tomorrow: Avoid burning leaves, trash and other materials that can add particle pollution to the air. Compost yard waste and turn something you once threw away into nutrient-rich top soil.

Get a Real Green Thumb: Use turf grass or seed mixtures that grow slowly. Decrease lawn area by planting trees, shrubs, wildflowers and groundcover plants. Use manually-powered yard tools. If you must mow, plan the use of gasoline-powered lawnmowers and other equipment for cooler evening hours to reduce pollution.

Recycle and reuse: Many items headed to the trash should actually be recycled, and it’s easy to find a recycling center near you. You can also donate your old computer, cell phone and other items to organizations who refurbish them for people in need.

Refueling: Refuel lawnmowers and other gas tanks after 6 p.m. and don't overfill. It will reduce escaping smog-forming fumes.
For more tips, visit the EPA's ENERGY STAR page. For help prioritizing your to-do list visit EnergyHog.

Smart Green Tips on the Go

Besides trying a smarter commute to work each day, you can clean up the way you make smaller trips, too. You’ll help everyone breathe easier by reducing dangerous pollutants in our air.

Plan Ahead: Combine several errands into one trip or run errands on the way home from work. Run groups of errands in the evening hours, since the impact of emissions is worse during hotter hours.

Get Children on Board: Encourage children to ride the school bus or organize a "school pool" – a carpool with other parents. Share after-school driving and take turns driving children to sports practice, swim lessons, music lessons, etc.

Use Technology: Use the phone and the Internet to locate or purchase products and services, instead of driving from store to store. You could be surprised by how much gas you’ll save.

Make a Smart Vehicle Choice: Find and compare gas mileage and air pollution ratings for new and used cars and trucks. Consider a hybrid for your next purchase.

Maintain Your Vehicle: Keep your engine tuned, tires inflated and replace your air filters regularly. A tune up can increase your gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent, while a new air filter can improve it by up to 10 percent.

Walk or Roll: In the U.S., more than 25 percent of the auto trips taken are less than a mile in length.* If possible, walk, bike, jog or rollerblade when running errands and enjoy the bonus exercise.

Don't Idle: Remember to turn off your car instead of idling for long periods. Extended idling causes greater wear and tear on your car, wastes fuel and add pollutants to the air. Walk inside instead of idling in the drive-thru lane.

Refuel After 6 p.m.: Fill up your gas tank in the evening rather than the morning. Evaporative emissions from morning gasoline fill-ups contribute to air pollution, particularly during the summertime.

Check Your Gas Cap: Leaking gas caps contribute to air pollution and waste fuel due to evaporation. Every leaking gas cap equals approximately 200 pounds of evaporative emissions each year. Up to 30 gallons of gasoline can be released annually -- that's a lot of money wasted.

* U.S. DOT, Federal Highway Administration