Eco-friendly choices on joint family car trips
When planning a longer car trip with your family, there are a few little things you can do to make your journey a bit more environmentally friendly. By choosing a low-emission car, you can tangibly reduce your carbon footprint. Hybrid or electric cars are a very environmentally friendly option, and the ranges of new electric cars are already sufficient for longer journeys. In addition, plan your route so that driving is as smoothly as possible and avoid unnecessary detours. This not only saves the environment, but also your family’s time and money. It is a good idea to favour environmentally friendly driving habits during your trip. If you drive a car with a combustion engine, a smooth and steady driving style reduces fuel consumption and emissions. Correctly loading the vehicle and avoiding unnecessary weight also help to keep consumption under control.
Travelling with children – entertaining and environmentally friendly
When travelling with children, it is important to make sure that the young passengers are comfortable. Audiobooks, activity, sticker or colouring books, and age-appropriate guessing games and quizzes are good ways to spend time when travelling. There are all kinds of games you can come up with for a car trip. For example, you can count oncoming red cars or play a fun game where you can collect points by spotting rarer car colours like yellow, orange or green cars. Another fun activity related to car colours is one where each passenger chooses one colour, for example black or white, and then, for 15 minutes, everyone counts to see which colour comes up the most in oncoming cars. The person with the most points wins a small prize, such as raisins. Of course, in many situations, digital devices make long journeys easier, but you can travel without them for a part of the journey and thus avoid unnecessary energy consumption that would be required to charge the electrical devices. When it comes to food, choose home-made, healthy snacks. If possible, choose climate-friendly snacks such as Finnish vegetables, berries and seasonal products. This not only reduces the amount of waste, but also reduces the climate impact caused by, for example, food production and transportation, and is also a healthier option for the whole family. On long journeys, it is a good idea to choose rest spots where the children can move around and play outside for a while. This lets the children burn their energy and, at the same time, the whole family can enjoy some fresh air during the break. After a fun break, the kids will be able to sit in the car better and the journey will be more comfortable.
Responsible choices in car service and maintenance
The eco-friendliness of driving depends not only on your driving style, but also on the condition of your car. Regular service and maintenance will ensure that your car functions efficiently and safely. Use environmentally friendly lubricants and filters that extend the life of your car and reduce the impact on the environment. It is also worth paying attention to your choice of tyres. Economical and durable tyres reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Also remember to check the tyre pressures, as correct tyre pressure reduces fuel consumption, improves driving safety and helps to prolong the life of the tyres.
