Grace in carpooling

Guidelines for a smooth carpooling experience

Recall August 16’s Green Ideas?  Going car-less is one of the best things we can do for the planet.  Alas, for many of us, it’s really difficult too.

But carpooling can make a huge difference in our transportation footprint.  Here are seven simple rules to make it simple, safe, economical and even fun for all:

1. Select a convenient meeting/pick-up spot that’s central, safe and easy to get to
2. Show up on time
3. Make group agreements or ground rules about eating, drinking, music, chatting, phone calls etc. during the commute
4. Keep a schedule and track driver turns
5. Agree on a cost per trip for those without vehicles
6. Take your turn in the uncomfortable seat
7. Keep your car interior tidy, and take your trash with you when riding in someone else’s car

It’s not quite car-free, but carpooling is a huge step forward – so why not try it with your neighbours and colleagues?

Thanks to Lindsay Coulter, David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, for this Green Idea; a more complete list can be found here.

The Big Four

The most important ways to reduce your carbon footprint

There is much fruit on the proverbial ‘tree of sustainability solutions’.  Some of it is large fruit, some of it is small.  Some of it is high in the tree and hard to reach, some of it is low-hanging and easily picked.

Make no mistake: EVERY act of sustainability is a good act.  But if our goal is to make the greatest difference, it’s the large fruit we want.

Unfortunately, it’s usually not low hanging.  A study published last month concluded that the four biggest ways we can reduce our carbon footprint are:

• Eating a plant-based diet
• Avoiding air travel
• Living car free
• Having smaller families

Uncomfortable?  Me too.  Those are tough.

But perhaps much solace can be taken from the fact that each of these can be chipped away at slowly.  (Even the fourth?  Yes, because large families committed to sustainability can have smaller carbon footprints than small families without such commitment; and perhaps the former can teach the latter.)

Again, to be clear: every act of sustainability is a good act.  But if our goal is to make the biggest difference, it’s good to know where that big difference can be made.

“An epiphanal experience, a total change of mindset”

Inspiring words from Ray Anderson

You’ve probably never heard of Ray Anderson – but the world would be a far different place if all corporate leaders thought, and then acted, as he did.

Ray Anderson was the CEO of Interface, the world’s largest commercial carpet manufacturer.  In the summer of 1994, he had an “an epiphanal experience, a total change of mindset” about sustainability.  That began a process that has made Interface the world’s most sustainable carpet company in the world, with a plan to be net-zero in everything by 2020.

But instead of me writing about it, why not hear it straight from Ray, in this powerful video? It’s well worth the four minutes.

Then read about Interface’s progress on its Mission Zero plan here.