Friday, April 22, 2011

It's Earth Day...how do we make scooters even more eco-friendly?

This week, I have been in New York City with David de Rothschild explorer, eco-ambassador, and a past scooterist (he told me he had a 50's Faro Basso Vespa in his youth!).  He's spreading the word about how we can improve our relationships with plastics to reduce their effect on the environment. It got me thinking about the ecological advantages of scootering.

While scooters boast great MPG, there is a lot more to their eco-friendly nature than just fuel consumption:
Less traffic-- for those who travel alone (or with a passenger) a scooter takes up far less space than a car.
Less parking--It's possible to fit 4 scooters comfortably in one car space. With 2 people per scooter, that's 8 people that can fit into one parking spot.

What else can we do to make scooters even more eco-friendly? I'd love to hear your ideas.
Here's a few of mine:
Keep tires properly inflated: saves even more gas and keep the tire wearing evenly, thus extending the life of the tire. And make sure to recycle your old tires!

Keep your scooter tuned up: a scooter that leaks oil or runs inefficiently detracts from its eco-benefits. And your local scooter mechanic will thank you for the business!

Use less toxic cleaners and solvents: carb cleaner brightens up grimy parts like nobody's business, but it is harsh on the environment. Look for less toxic cleaning materials, even for washing the scooter, use it sparingly and clean it up properly. Don't let them run-off into the street drains.

If you want to leave a comment on how to make scooters more eco-friendly, send me an email or get involved in the conversation on Facebook.

Happy Earth Day!

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