The Gallivanting Green Girl

Wish I could say I was talking about the vegetable juice, but alas…I mean my car.

I know, I know…it couldn’t possibly be more “un-green”.

It’s a totally wicked, triple black, super cute, cabriolet convertible 1997 Porsche C4.

It’s all mine.

And I absolutely LOVE it.

So as I embark down this green brick road, I feel compelled to question whether or not this love affair with my car makes me a raging hypocrite or if there is some way I can justify this vice of mine. After much reflection and the sincere consideration of trading it in for something more “environmentally responsible” (honest!), I elected to cut a deal with myself and trade this indulgence for some other, more palatable – and ultimately more eco-friendly – forms of penance.

Before anyone gets all up in my grill with the judgment, here’s some totally legit math:

My mom has a 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid. She drives about 12,000 miles a year, which is in line with the national average. According to the carbon footprint calculator, mom and her hybrid contribute the equivalent of 2.56 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, which is way less than the 7.24 tonnes kicked in by comparable mileage in a 4WD SUV. Now I don’t know exactly what these numbers translate into, but I’m pretty sure in this case, less is more. So what’s a speed freak like me to do?

Well, I try not to drive more than necessary so my bopping around the city is mostly done by walking or taking public transportation. I save my car for major errand days once a month (rather than once a week) and for road trips out to see my family in the burbs. I also keep up the maintenance and try not to drive it so hard – little things like accelerating slower and breaking earlier save both gas and wear-and-tear. And for what I pay for both gas and repairs, that’s a win-win-win! All in, I put less than 3000 miles on my car a year, making me responsible for only 1.54 tonnes.

In all fairness, if I were to drive mom’s car 3000 miles per year, I could reduce my footprint by another .9 tonnes…but I figure if walking and public transport put me at 40% less than what mom contributes and 80% less than the standard SUV brigades, I’m definitely doing more than my share.

Bottom line: if you have a gas guzzler that you just can’t part with, you don’t have to apologize for it. Embrace it, enjoy it and just try to drive it a little easier and a little less – especially if you live in the city where practically everywhere is walkable, parking is ridiculously expensive, and you always have to worry about having your baby dinged up or illegally parked by valets. Besides, it’s no fun to have a sports car in stop-and-go traffic anyway and cruising the Viagra Triangle just makes you look…well, ya just don’t wanna be that guy/girl. TRUST ME.

For all the die-hard eco-saints who are twitching as they read this, take heart: even my miniature footprint makes me feel guilty knowing that I could still be doing more – so I do. Read on for other ways I compensate for my additction…

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