We are a nation of cars. Especially in the west, transportation by automobile has become the mode of choice. It's more than just transportation; it's a cultural phenomenon.

The environmental cost of cars is substantial. While today's vehicles are 80 to 99 percent cleaner per mile than those from the 1960s, the number of vehicle miles traveled nationwide has increased by 159 percent. Most of the increases are in urban areas, where ozone smog and contaminants have the greatest impacts on health. In the last 30 years, vehicle miles traveled on urban roads has tripled from 570 million to 1.73 billion.

Automobiles cause more than just air pollution. Over half of Seattle's greenhouse gas emissions are due to transportation sources, primarily the cars and trucks we drive. There is no longer any doubt that climate disruption is a reality and human activities including the vehicles we drive are responsible for increasing concentrations of global warming pollution.

Roads and parking lots built for cars also form impermeable surfaces that prevent natural filtration and purification of stormwater. Oil, gas, anti-freeze and other automotive fluids are washed into storm drains, eventually fouling our water supplies and wetlands, while destroying habitat for salmon, birds and other creatures.

What can we do? Don't we all need our cars? Some of us may not, but most of us can at least significantly reduce our need to drive, either by sharing the ride, using public transportation, considering alternative modes like walking or bicycling, or simply doing a better job of trip planning. Seattle has proven that its citizens can make do with less driving, based on results from the "One Less Car Challenge." Over the course of the City-sponsored program, 100 families have given up a car and learned to cope, saving money, making friends and learning new transportation "survival" skills in the process.

'79 INCREASE YOUR MILEAGE Rating: **** When it's time to replace your car, buy a high miles-per-gallon, low-polluting vehicle (such as a hybrid or other gas-efficient vehicle) Low emissions and good fuel economy are both important for the economy. New hybrid vehicles, powered by a combination of gas engines and electric motors, offer exciting new standards for high mileage and clean operation. EPA provides a Green Vehicle Guide to help you choose the cleanest and most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets your needs. The guide offers three pieces of information about a vehicle's environmental performance: the Air Pollution Score, the Greenhouse Gas Score, and Fuel Economy estimates.
U.S. EPA - Green Vehicles

'80 DON'T DRIVE YOURSELF SO HARD Rating: **** Reduce your vehicle use as much as possible, both for work and home life Driving less is always a good idea. Cars and trucks produce more than 700,000 pounds of smog-forming pollutants on a summer day in the Puget Sound region. Most people in the Puget Sound area commute to work alone; only 15 percent of us carpool and 8 percent take the bus. Consider carpooling or using public transportation to get to and from work. We know that 80 percent of all automobile trips--including 50 percent during peak hours--are for personal purposes rather than traveling to and from work. Seattle residents are urged to "trip link" or combine errands to reduce the time they are on the road, save on fuel and reduce vehicle emissions. Challenge yourself to reduce your car use for non-work trips by trying the bus, biking, walking, trip consolidation and carpooling instead. Check out "Way to Go, Seattle" for how-to tips and tools.
City of Seattle - Way To Go, Seattle
Flexcar
King County - Metro Online

'81 PLUG THE LEAKS Rating: **** Keep your car maintained to prevent leaks Rainwater can pick up a toxic mix of pollutants as it flows across the land. To help keep runoff clean, keep your car maintained to prevent leaks. Check your vehicle regularly for fluid leaks and have them repaired immediately. In the meantime, catch them with a drip pan. Spills should be cleaned up right away with an absorbent material such as kitty litter and then disposed as you would any other hazardous waste. If oil gets on your car's engine, have it degreased at a commercial facility designed to handle waste products.
Washington State University Extension

'82 OIL AND WATER DON'T MIX Rating: **** When boating, use pump out stations, avoid spills when fueling, and use a wet scrub brush without soap to clean the boat while it's in the water Clean water benefits all of us--people AND fish and wildlife. When boating, always use pump-out stations to empty your holding tank. Pump out facilities are fast, clean, easy to use and inexpensive. Fill your tank carefully when fueling up; avoid spills and wipe up any drops immediately with an absorption pad. National Clean Boating Campaign

'83 TURN IT OFF Rating: **** If you are stopped long enough to put your car in park or neutral, turn the engine off rather than let it idle needlessly Think of all the places you wait while in your car: picking kids, at the drive-thru, stuck on the wrong side of a passing train. You think it'll only take a half-a-minute and it ends up taking five. Idling is an unnecessary activity that dramatically affects our Puget Sound air quality--and the health of those around us. In fact, idling produces twice as much pollution as stopping and restarting your warmed-up engine. A single vehicle dropping and picking up kids at one school puts three pounds of pollution into the air per month. Children's asthma symptoms increase as a result of car exhaust. Excessive idling is also hard on your engine because it isn't working at peak operating temperature. So, do the folks behind your tailpipe a favor--shut your engine down when you are sitting in your car for more than a few seconds. You'll save fuel and help clear the air.
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency - Anti-Idling Program
WA State Department of Ecology - No Idle Zone: Dare to Care About the Air

'84 FILL'ER UP CLEAN Rating: **** If you drive a diesel vehicle, look for biodiesel or the new ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel available in 2006 Biodiesel is a safe, natural alternative fuel for diesel engines. Biodiesel comes from renewable farm crops and from recycled oils from restaurants. In pure form, biodiesel can reduce diesel automobile emissions by as much as 78 percent. It also can be mixed with standard petrodiesel, and functions in existing infrastructures for diesel fleets. Biodiesel is a viable option for better air quality in the Northwest in the next few years. And beginning in 2006, ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel will become widely available, cutting sulfur content from the maximum of 500 parts per million of regular diesel to 15 to 30 parts per million. You could also consider other alternatively fueled vehicles that run on methanol, ethanol, compress natural gas, or electricity, all of which reduce emissions.
Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition - Biodiesel, a Clean Alternative
Northwest Biodiesel Network
Seattle Biodiesel

'85 STAY PUMPED Rating: **** Keep your car's tires properly inflated Proper inflation of your tires is extremely important to your car's performance. An under-inflated tire results in sluggish handling, reduced tire tread life and may result in catastrophic tire failure. More importantly, it causes decreased fuel economy resulting in higher levels of air pollution. A little air in your tires can go a long way to providing cleaner air for your lungs.
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency - Air-Friendly Choices
Fuel Economy Guide

'86 GET REGULAR CHECK UPS Rating: **** Follow your car manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule to minimize emissions and get the best possible fuel economy To minimize emissions and maximize performance, always keep your motor-vehicle in good running condition. Poorly maintained or malfunctioning vehicles can release as much as 10 times the emissions of a well-maintained one. Motorists should follow the manufacturer's instructions on routine maintenance, such as oil and filter changes. Pay attention to dashboard warning lights. When warnings appear, have the car checked out as soon as possible.
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency - Air-Friendly Choices
National Safety Council - What You Can Do About Car Emissions

'87 BUBBLE BATHS ARE BAD FOR SALMON Rating: **** Wash your car at commercial car washes that recycle water All soaps, even biodegradable ones, are toxic to fish. When you wash your car at home, cleaning products containing harmful chemicals can run out of your yard into storm drains, heading straight into local waterways. If you must wash your car at home, be sure to use low phosphate soaps or cleaning/waxing compounds. Wash your car on the lawn (not the street) to take advantage of natural filtering and avoid harmful runoff.
Puget Sound Action Team - 10 Things That Reduce Stormwater Runoff
King County Water and Land Resources Division

'88 LESS IS MORE Rating: *** Get rid of one car--keep the vehicle(s) with the better emission-control equipment and higher gas mileage More than a hundred Seattle households tried the "One Less Car Challenge" and proved to themselves that they could live without their extra car. Plus, many of these households sold that car and saved thousands of dollars per year. The City of Seattle launched the program to increase the use of busing, walking and biking. Driving less provides more exercise and helps to improve our urban air quality. But what about the times you really need a car or truck? Flexcar, started in Seattle, is the nation's largest and oldest provider of car-sharing programs. It's the affordable way to keep the convenience of an extra car or pick-up truck.
City of Seattle - One Less Car Challenge
FlexCar

'89 NOW YOU'RE GETTING WARM Rating: *** Instead of idling in the driveway, warm up your car during the first few minutes of your trip Think that idling your car is a harmless way to warm up your engine? Perhaps in days gone by with an old jalopy but not with today's cars. Excessive idling can be hard on your engine because it isn't working at peak operating temperature. Fuel doesn't undergo complete combustion, leaving spark plugs dirty and contaminating engine oil. Modern engines need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days before starting to drive. And with Seattle's usually mild winters, usually none at all. Considering that vehicle exhaust is the leading source of hazardous air pollution in our state, idling is a good habit to break.
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency - Anti-Idling Program
Washington State Department of Ecology - No Idle Zone

'90 STOP AT THE CLICK Rating: *** Resist the temptation to top off your gas tank When refueling your vehicle, "stop at the click" when you hear the handle on the gas nozzle "click" off. Topping off releases gas fumes into the air that contribute to ozone pollution and cancels the benefit of the pump's anti-pollution devices. So remember, stopping just short of a full tank is safer and reduces pollution.
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency - Smog Watch
It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air

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