7 Ways to Green Your Commute with Technology

It would be great if everyone could work from home - think of all those greenhouse gas emissions we'd save by not commuting! Alas, to prevent the economy from falling into an even deeper recession, most of the American workforce needs to schlep to and from the office every day. Luckily, a slew of new technology can make your journeys a little more eco-friendly. Read on for tips to help you green your commute.

Walk or Bike with a GPS or Google Maps
To really decrease your commuting carbon footprint, the best thing to do is walk or ride a bike to work-after all, those are the only truly emission-free forms of transit. You can plan the best route by using online mapping tools like Google Maps. The easy-to-read online map will provide you with directions, gives you a door-to-door time estimate and even highlights local businesses. If you have a smartphone, you have another tool at your hands, as you're likely have a GPS application on your phone that works with Google Maps to highlight where you are and offer you directions to reach your destination.



Take Advantage of Public Transit
If you live in a sizeable city, chances are there's a subway, rail or bus line that can get you pretty close to your destination. Find out what the best way to get to work sans car is with Hopstop.com. The web site provides step-by-step public transit directions for 14 US regions and is constantly adding more locations. If your region isn't represented by Hopstop, it is almost certainly on Google Maps, which provides door-to-door directions and time estimates for pretty much everywhere.

Calculate Your Commuting Carbon Footprint

The Commute Greener iPhone app lets users plug in different modes of transportation and view their carbon footprints. Try out a few options to see which way of commuting is the most eco-friendly for you.


Join a Car Share Program
Instead of driving everywhere all the time, rent a car only when you really have no choice but to drive. Car-share services like Zipcar allow members to rent cars by the hour from convenient locations, which reduces the number of cars on the road and decreases pollution. Zipcar's iPhone app lets members make an online reservation, directs them to the nearest available Zipcar and remotely unlocks car doors-no phone call necessary.

Carpool
New web-based services make it easy for commuters to save gas by hitching a ride with someone going in their direction. Craigslist.org, CarpoolConnect.com, NuRide.com, ERideShare.com, CommuterLink.com and ZimRide.com allow folks to post and search for available rideshares in their area. The Avego iPhone app will actually match riders with drivers who have extra room in their vehicles.


Drive Electric
GM says the Chevy Volt will finally roll into showrooms later this year, likely making it the first mass-marketed electric vehicle available for purchase in America. The Volt boasts 40 miles per battery charge and features a flex-fuel engine. Look for other EVs from major automakers like Nissan and Ford in 2011 and 2012.

Drive Smarter
Some companies are developing software that can actually teach folks how to drive in a more environmentally sensitive way. GreenRoad360 software paired with an in-vehicle LED display provides drivers with immediate feedback on how things like speed handling, braking and acceleration affect fuel consumption. Though this particular software is geared towards commercial applications, everyday drivers can opt for the Kiwi Fuel-Saving Device, a gizmo that plugs into a vehicle's diagnostic port, analyzes driving data and offers ways to increase gas mileage. For those who want to boost fuel efficiency but can't spring for high-tech gear, check out EcoDrive.org for helpful green driving tips.

Got any tips for greening your commute? Leave them in the comments!

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Sarah Parsons is a writer and editor for Inhabitat, an online magazine devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and design towards a smarter and more sustainable future. Written by a young tech-savvy team designers and design journalists, Inhabitat delivers fresh content daily, showcasing emerging work from the cutting-edge of the global design community.