The Efficiency of Carpooling

Do you remember when the HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes starting popping up on the nation’s interstates? It was a wonderful attempt to encourage commuters to think smart and promote a healthier planet. The easy part was constructing the HOV lanes and investing millions of dollars into each city to make this happen. The difficult aspect was (and still is) getting commuters to actually carpool.

When you choose to carpool, you are saving the environment from the harmful fumes generated from cars burning gasoline. Every car introduces harmful pollutants into the atmosphere such as carbon monoxide, ozone and nitrous oxides. These gases rise to the outermost portion of our sky into the ozone layer and slowly destroy the only protection our planet has. Each gallon of gas produces over 20 pounds of carbon dioxide.

According to www.greeniacs.com, more than $2,800 is spent a year on gasoline by the typical American household. This amount of money doesn’t include other expenses that are associated with using a car, such as insurance, upkeep and routine maintenance. Choosing to carpool saves you and everyone involved in your carpool a substantial amount of money.

Many people avoid carpooling because they don’t want to sacrifice their freedom of coming and going as they wish. Although carpooling will require a minor sacrifice, it can have incredible effects on the environment, your wallet and your community. Consider carpooling and talk with co-workers to organize an efficient system that will benefit everyone involved.