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The pathway to sustainable transportation includes finding ways to use our gasoline and diesel fuel more efficiently while making the transition to renewable fuels as quickly as possible.
There are three main steps we can take to reduce our total consumption of energy for transportation. First, by choosing appropriate vehicles, we can make sure that we use the least amount of energy possible for our task. Whenever possible, it is best use muscle-powered transportation modes, such as walking or biking. For longer distances, or to transport things, it makes sense to use mass transit, such as buses or trains. For times when we need to move a lot of objects, or large heavy loads, it makes sense to use a truck. In general, using the smallest, most efficient vehicle for the task saves the most energy.
Second, reducing the distances we travel can cut down on the amount of energy we use in transportation. If we can combine trips, reduce our commute, and limit our long distance travel we can save a lot of energy. The farther away things come from to get to us, the more energy they use.
Third, proper maintenance, lower speeds, and new technology can improve the efficiency of our vehicles. For example, automobiles with properly inflated tires, and regularly changed oil, are much more fuel efficient than ones that don't take these measures. Driving no faster than the speed limit saves fuel as well as lives. There are also technological alternatives for improving our efficiency. Hybrid technology uses the combination of a gasoline engine and an electric motor with batteries to improve fuel economy. These vehicles are smart and not only know how to get the most out of their fuel, they even collect the energy from braking to store in the batteries for later use.
Fossil fuels are no longer the only fuels available for transportation. It is now possible to get liquid renewable fuels that can run existing vehicle engines. Oil seed crops, such as canola, soy, sunflower and others can be raised sustainably to produce vegetable oil that can be made into fuel for diesel engines. Starch crops, such as corn, potatoes and grains can be raised sustainably and then fermented to produce alcohol that can be used as fuel for gasoline engines. For more information on both of these resources, see the section on Biomass.
Renewable energy can also be used to generate electricity to power electric cars, or to generate hydrogen to power fuel cell cars. For more information see the section on Hydrogen. |
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