Posts Tagged ‘eco-news’
Wednesday, July 29th, 2009
Have some free time this Saturday, August 1st? (August already? Where did the summer go?!) The Active Transportation Alliance, formally the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, is holding a free, 8-mile “Open Streets” event stretching from Logan Square to Little Village.
The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and feature a variety of activities, including music, art activities, children’s games, workout classes and much more. Even better: It’s a free event and there’s no registration, so you can join in at any point along the route! For more info, you can also call them at (312) 377-5727.
Check out this interesting video on the Open Streets initiative:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-RP7Mve8Z8&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]
Tags: chicago, chicago events, chicago news, city of chicago, clean air, eco-news, green chicago
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Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
Grist recently released their list of “15 Green-Leaning Mayors”, and Chicago’s very own, Richard M. Daley, nabbed the fifth spot. They cite Daley’s green-roof program (the most extensive in the country), sustainable redevelopment & landscaping projects, and his emphasis on renewable energy as his strong points. The article also mentioned Chicago’s bid for the 2016 summer Olympics, stating that it “hinges on the event being the greenest Olympics in history.”
The four mayors that topped Daley are: Michael Bloomberg (New York City), Greg Nickels (Seattle), Gavin Newsom (San Francisco), and Ed Malloy (Fairfield, Indiana). While the list is hardly complete, it does give a good indication of the vast geographical diversity in local climate leadership today.
What do you think? Did Mayor Daley deserve the #5 spot?
Tags: chicago, chicago news, city of chicago, eco-news, green chicago
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Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
I-GO Car Sharing is proud to be a part of the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), which on Tuesday, April 28, was one of only eight organizations around the world to be selected for the 2009 MacArthur Award for Creative & Effective Institutions.
“The MacArthur Foundation has a long history of supporting organizations around the world like these that demonstrate the creativity, drive, and vision to make the world more just and peaceful,” said MacArthur President Jonathan Fanton. “These organizations may be small but their impact is tremendous. From protecting human rights to improving urban neighborhoods to conserving biodiversity, they are blazing new paths and finding fresh solutions to some of our most difficult challenges.”
It was CNT—one of the country’s most venerable and innovative think tanks committed to urban sustainability issues—that originally launched I-GO Car Sharing in 2002. We remain closely attached to them to this day—both in terms of mission and literally: I-GO’s HQ is housed in the same LEED-certified-platinum office building in Wicker Park.
The accolades weren’t just from the MacArthur Foundation.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn: “The Center for Neighborhood Technology is an innovative and creative organization that has maintained a strong focus on sustainability for over 30 years,” said Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. “The new technologies and ideas CNT has developed have kept Illinois at the forefront of green innovation, and this award is a fitting tribute.”
Sadhu Johnston, Chief Environmental Officer, City of Chicago: “Building a green city takes more than leadership from city government—it takes strong partners in the community. CNT has been and continues to be a valuable partner in the development and implementation of Chicago’s Climate Action Plan. Their in-depth analysis, along with their experience in implementing programs in transportation and energy, effectively demonstrate how and why cities are the solution to climate change.”
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
We encourage everyone to read up on this remarkable, prescient organization that has been waaaaay ahead of the green curve since its founding three decades ago. Reinventing a “smart energy grid” for the nation may be the green topic du jour now. But CNT has been talking smart grid long before the greenwashing bandwagon hoppers grabbed ahold of those coattails.
Besides I-GO, they’ve created other green consumer programs:
- CNT Energy’s Power Smart Pricing helps residential consumers cut energy costs and reduce their peak energy use through hourly price signals. The plan was adopted by ComEd and other electricity providers in the Midwest.
- The Energy Savers program offers a one-stop shop for energy audits and loans to finance improvements that substantially reduce natural gas and electricity use in multifamily buildings. Reductions in energy consumption lower the operating costs of rental properties, keeping them affordable for the long term.
No doubt they’ll keep innovating for another 30 years and beyond.
Congratulations CNT!
Tags: awards, chicago news, cnt, eco-news, energy, i-go car sharing, macarthur foundation
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Sunday, April 26th, 2009
“The fact is, we already have a zero-emission, efficient, great way to get around and it’s called the bicycle and we just need to start providing for it,”
-Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives
You’ve heard of car sharing but have you heard of bike sharing? There are already successful bike sharing programs in Paris, Barcelona, London, Stockholm, Milan, Berlin, Munich, Vienna & Copenhagen- to name just a few. Hopefully it is only a matter of time before bike sharing starts spreading throughout the U.S. as well!
Below you can listen to a very interesting interview on last Friday’s Brian Lehrer Show. Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, discusses the possibility of introducing a bike sharing program in New York City.
Would you utilize a bike sharing service in Chicago? If not, why not? What would need to change in order to get you biking?
Tags: bike sharing, biking, eco-news, green living, green transportation, public transit, sustainable transportation
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Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
2nd Annual Auburn Gresham Earth Day Celebration
Thursday, April 23, 9am-noon
518 W. 79th
The Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation, in association with Alderman Latasha Thomas (17th Ward), and the Winneconna Lakes Improvement Association are hosting their 2nd Annual Earth Day Event to raise environmental awareness. I-GO reps will be there to demonstrate economical and environmental transportation alternatives.
University of Chicago Earth Fest
Friday, April 24, 11am-2pm
Rosenwald Building (Main Quad)
The Sustainability Council of the U of C is providing an opportunity for students and faculty to become acquainted with local business, organizations and other groups in Chicago. I-GO will be there spreading the good word. I-GO does not need any volunteer help for this event, but we’d love to see you if you’re in the area.
North Lake Shore Earth Day
Saturday, April 25, 9am-4:30pm
Loyola (Rogers Park Campus)
Loyola University Chicago and the communities of Andersonville, Edgewater, Ravenswood, Rogers Park, Uptown and West Ridge are hosting the 2nd North Lake Shore Earth day celebration. I-GO has been invited to help inform community members about global and local environmental issues such as clean air and energy alternatives, as well as practical, everday ways to green one’s home and business. I-GO is looking for a few volunteers to help staff this event. If you’d like to help out, please send Lauren an e-mail at lauren@igocars.org.
Tags: chicago car sharing, chicago events, eco-news, green living, i-go car sharing, i-go events
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Wednesday, March 11th, 2009
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently considering reversing a Bush administration decision which prevented California (along with 13 other states) from enacting stricter air-pollution standards for motor vehicles. This is great news, not only because of the positive environmental effects the stricter rules would bring about, but simply because it might actually happen!
California has been leading the fight to enact these stricter CO2 regulations for years now and has seen little help from the federal government. However, that was under the Bush administration. Things seem to be changing since Obama took office.
On January 21, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a letter to President Obama requesting that he review the EPA’s denial of California’s waiver request, stating, “California and a growing number of farsighted states have sought to enforce a common-sense policy to reduce global-warming pollution from passenger vehicles, which are the source of 20 percent of our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Regulation will not only reduce these emissions, but will also save drivers money and reduce our nation’s dependence on foriegn oil… Your administration has a unique opportunity to both support the pioneering leadership of these states and move America toward global leadership on addressing climate change.”
A mere five days after Governor Schwarzenegger sent this letter, President Obama directed federal regulators to review California’s and 13 other states’ request to set automobile emissions and fuel efficency standards. According to the Clean Air Act Section 209 – State Standards, the EPA must grant the waiver unless it finds that California:
-was arbitrary & capricious in its finding that its standards are, in the aggregate, at least as protective of public health and welfare as applicable federal standards;
-does not need such standards to meet compelling and extraordinary conditions; or
-has proposed standards not consistent with Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act
The 13 other states joining California in this fight are: Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
Help make this happen – sign the petition urging the EPA to grant the waiver!
Tags: advocacy, automakers, Barack Obama, carbon footprint, cars, clean air, clean fuel, eco-news, emission standards, green cars, sustainable transportation
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Monday, March 9th, 2009
Americans took 10.7 billion trips on public transportation in 2008! This is a 4% increase over 2007 levels and also marks the highest level of ridership in 52 years, according to a report released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
Ridership on all modes of public transportation increased in every quarter for the second year in a row. Light rail had the highest increase in annual ridership, growing by 8.3% in 2008, followed by commuter rail (4.7%), bus service (3.9%) and heavy rail (3.5%). Streetcars and trolleys are considered ‘light rail’, while subways are categorized as ‘heavily rail’.
Not only are more people taking public transportation, they are also driving less: Total vehicle miles traveled in the U.S. declined by 3.6% from 2007 levels. According to the APTA report, “This ridership record continues a long-term trend of ridership growth. Public transportation use is up 38% since 1995, a figure that is almost triple the growth rate of the population”. Not too shabby, huh?
Tags: eco-news, green living, green transportation, high-speed rail, mass transit, public transit, sustainable transportation; transportation
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Sunday, March 8th, 2009
As car sales continue to fall and gas prices remain above the $2/gallon mark, it seems like more and more people are taking up a common childhood activity – biking. Biking is a great way to get around the city- you don’t have to deal with parking, gas, tickets, insurance, or traffic – AND you get some exercise along the way!
If you’re thinking about buying a bike, check out the bamboo bikes from Calfee Design. Calfee Design claims that their bamboo bikes have the lowest carbon footprint of any bike on the market today. Moreover, Calfee Bamboo bikes have won awards for Best Road Bike, Best Off-Road Bike and Peoples’ Choice Award at the American Handmade Bicycle Show.
Tags: biking, eco-news, environment, green living, green transportation, living simply, sustainable transportation
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Monday, January 19th, 2009
According to a recent article in Japan Today, car sharing is catching on in Japan as well as here in the U.S.. The article claims that, “car sharing is shifting into a higher gear in Japan as people try to save on car maintenance costs and be more environmentally friendly at the same time,”.
While car sharing is growing, car sales are down. Vehicle sales in Japan hit a 28-year low in 2008, according to the figures released by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association (JADA). Annual sales are expected to fall again in 2009. “We never imagined sales would fall this badly,” said JADA Director, Takeshi Fushimi. “This is a bleak situation.”
What is a bleak situation for auto dealers is great news for Japanese car sharing organizations. According to a survey done by the Eco-Mo Foundation, there were 19 car sharing organizations in Japan, with a total of 522 cars being shared by 3,875 members, as of August 2008. The numbers of cars and car stations more than doubled and the number of registered car sharing members increased by half since the same survey was done in January of 2007. Below is a photo of a car sharing site at a condominium in Japan.
Tags: car sharing, cars, eco-news, gas prices, green living, living simply, transportation
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Friday, January 16th, 2009
That’s the world population of cars now, and it could double in the next 20 years. This is according to Daniel Sperling, author of the book Two Billion Cars: Driving Toward Sustainability. Sperling was interviewed yesterday on one of my favorite radio shows, Fresh Air.
It’s a really interesting conversation about the history of technology advancements and market forces that have influenced the makeup of the car population now, and how we might slow its growth and make electric, hybrid, and hydrogren vehicles take up a larger share in the future.
Car sharing gets a lot of love, of course, but some of his other answers are surprising. He points out the shortcoming of mass transit and promotes bike sharing, paratransit, and other ways to change what he terms “the transportation monoculture.”
You should take a listen, even if you’re not a policy wonk – these Big Picture questions address important facets of all our lives.
(AP photo via anthonares.net)
Tags: cars, eco-news, links
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Tuesday, January 13th, 2009
The auto blog Jalopnik has a ton of coverage from The Detroit Auto Show, where there have been a lot of hybrid cars introduced, including the 2010 Toyota Prius. At 50 MPG, the new Prius will be the most fuel-efficient vehicle available in the country. You can bet I-GO will be looking at the new Prius and other hybrids like the Honda Insight and Ford Fusion Hybrid to add to the already green fleet.
For photos (like this one) and news about new hybrid tech at the big auto show, check out Jalopnik’s full coverage.
Tags: cars, eco-news
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Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
Having a soiree this New Year’s Eve? I have some fun useful tips for you to make it green and eco-friendly. You can find the full list here, but here are a few fun ideas.
1 . Cut down on paper and use technology. Email invitations or call people to invite them to your party.
2. Get organized with your transportation. Encourage friends coming to the party to use public transportation or car pool to cut down on their driving.
3. Avoid the paper products and instead use real cutlery, glasses and dishes for the party. You will have dishes to wash but think of the garbage you’ll reduce. If you don’t have enough glasses borrow from a neighbor or check with local caterers who will rent out glassware at a reasonable cost.
And here’s another green tip for you…use I-GO to get all your New Year’s Eve goodies. Reserve your car today so you can load up on food and libations at your favorite haunts like Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Costco.
Happy New Year!
Tags: eco-news, green living, i-go car sharing, living simply, local food, tips
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Sunday, December 28th, 2008
Burbank Bus announced that they will be the first to put a plug-in hybrid fuel cell bus, the Proterra HFC35, into service. The Proterra can fully recharge in only 6 minutes (!) and can travel up to 250 miles before needing to be recharged. The bus has double the fuel economy of a diesel bus and releases nothing but water from the fuel exhaust. Moreover, the Proterra was created in this country (designed by Colorado-based Proterra) and uses power that is 100% derived from U.S. sources- meaning more energy independence for us. Burbank Bus plans to have the Proterra in operation within various routes by spring. Check out the full press release here. Wouldn’t it be cool to see these type of buses come to Chicago?
Tags: eco-news, green living, neat stuff, transportation
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Thursday, December 18th, 2008
This just in. President-elect Obama will name Illinois Congressman (and Republican) Ray LaHood as Transportation Secretary.
What does this mean for those of those who are interested in transportation issues, especially those related to the environment?
Well, no one really knows. While LaHood’s environmental record has been both scrutinized and criticized, he wins high points for his ability to work across the aisle to get things done.
Let us know what you think of Obama’s recent appointment and what issues you think LaHood should focus on first?
Tags: eco-news, transportation
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Sunday, December 14th, 2008
No doubt Obama will do more to advance a sustainable/green agenda than the current administration has- but just how “green” will the next administration be? Carol Browner is said to be Obama’s top choice for “Climate Czar”- dealing with environmental, energy and climate related matters. She previously served as Administrator of the EPA during the Clinton Administration. Check out these short clips to get an idea of where she’s coming from…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY3OkWNbels&hl=en&fs=1]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_TD-_ZN7-c&hl=en&fs=1]
Tags: eco-news, transportation
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Tuesday, December 9th, 2008
An electric car charging station was unveiled today in Tel Aviv – the system will be expanded and tested in Israel before coming to other countries like Denmark and Australia. Think these guys will come to Chicago any time soon?
Tags: eco-news, neat stuff
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Friday, December 5th, 2008
Will Barack Obama’s childhood island state become the first in the nation to fully support a transition to electric vehicles? The President-Elect has made it clear he plans to make sustainability and green-collar jobs top priorities during his administration. Now, Hawaii is attempting to lead the country in adopting use of all-electric vehicles. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the greed and lack of vision we’ve been witnessing on Capitol Hill as the Big Three automakers beg for a bail-out.
This past Tuesday, Hawaii announced plans to become the first state in the U.S. to create a statewide electric recharging network for electric cars. The Hawaiian state government has joined forces with Better Place, an ambitious start-up that I posted about earlier this year, in an effort to make all-electric vehicles a reality by building car charging and battery swapping stations around the islands and purchasing renewable energy from Hawaiian Electric Co., the state’s largest utility.
They plan to have the recharging stations up and running by 2011, and to have built 50,000 to 100,000 charging spots across the state by early 2012. Shai Agassi, Better Place’s founder and CEO, claims the electric cars will cost the same as gas powered cars — at first. However, over time, electric cars will be less expensive to make because they use far less parts than cars with internal combustion engines.
In late November, San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area cities also announced plans to join forces with Better Place to create an electric recharging network by 2012. However, Better Place chose Hawaii as the first statewide rollout for several reasons: the size of the state, the contained environment and consistent climate the island offers, and the abundance of renewable energy resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal and wave power.
Here are two short clips: one of Agassi and Hawaiian Governor Linda Lingle driving one of the Better Place electric vehicles (hopefully, we’ll be seeing more of these cars in the near future), and one of Agassi answering a reporter’s questions about Better Place’s agenda for the Bay Area.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH-FyvwsrEg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGD9aRC4Y5M&hl=en&fs=1]
Tags: cars, eco-news, gas prices, green living, green site, living simply, neat stuff, transportation
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Thursday, November 20th, 2008
I just found this list of Top 10 Ecolodges and Green Hotels at the website Independent Traveler. Back In The Day, an “ecolodge” would sound like some sort of hippie hostel in a log cabin where you sing songs about how great dirt is. Not now – check out Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina:
Much of the hot water for the hotel and its restaurant is heated by 4,000 square feet of solar panels on the roof, and water-saving fixtures are used throughout the guestrooms and other facilities. Bikes are available for guests to ride on a nearby five-mile greenway.
Guestrooms may be green but they’re also luxurious, featuring 32-inch flat-panel TV’s, original artwork, complimentary Wi-Fi, large windows that allow plenty of natural light, and many other amenities.
No communing with your inner dirt diety there. Have you ever been to one of these eco-green-all-natural hotels or lodges? What was it like?
Tags: eco-news, green living, green site, neat stuff, places to go
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Friday, November 14th, 2008
There’s a rally/press conference this Sunday in support for The Illinois Clean Cars Act (HB3424), which would make Illinois the first Midwest state to adopt California vehicle emission standards for cars and light trucks. This from the Environmental Law and Policy Center:
- Passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks will be required to emit significantly reduced levels of volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, and other air pollutants including several carcinogenic air toxics
- Reduce global warming pollution from new cars by an average of 22% by 2012 and by average of 30 % by 2020 and slash air toxics by 13%-21% and reduce critical air pollutants by 5%-16% by 2030
- Apply to vehicles for the 2011 model-year and after
- The Secretary of State can prohibit the transfer of a new vehicle or vehicle engines if found to not be compliant with the vehicle emission standard
Sounds good to me – I-GO members won’t have to change any of their habits, except get used to breathing cleaner air.
The event is downtown at Federal Plaza at Dearborn and Adams this Sunday November 16 from 2-3pm. If you have any questions, email cleancarsillinois@gmail.com.
Tags: advocacy, chicago events, eco-news
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Friday, November 14th, 2008
In a new report unveiled by the Center for Neighborhood Technology, transportation leaders across the country are calling for an immediate and robust investment in public transit, high-speed and intercity rail, neighborhoods that are less car-dependent, more walkable and more affordable, and restoring the thousands of roads and bridges in failing condition across the United States. Funding these important projects has the potential to create millions of good, green jobs nationally, save Americans thousands of dollars per year, and reduce America’s dependence on oil once and for all.
What do you think the new Obama Administration should do to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.
Tags: eco-news, transportation
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Thursday, October 16th, 2008
The Illinois Clean Cars Act is an important piece of legislation that will soon be voted on in Springfield. The act would require new cars sold in Illinois to have higher fuel efficiency standards, thus improving air quality and public health, while also reducing global warming pollution. This is Illinois’ opportunity to lead the Midwest in adopting standards that will require auto manufacturers to build cleaner cars. How will this benefit Illinois residents? Check out this interview with Joe Shacter, senior policy advocate at the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQOV6tHU8Lc&hl=en&fs=1]
To learn more about or take action on this bill, visit the Environmental Law & Policy Center’s website.
Tags: cars, eco-news, gas prices, green living
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Friday, October 10th, 2008
I-GO Car Sharing and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announced today the launch of a joint smart card program that will allow individuals to use one card for both riding the CTA and accessing I-GO vehicles. There are currently 10 CTA locations with I-GO vehicles and plans to add 8 more. I-GO has 200 cars in 32 Chicago neighborhoods. The combined smart card program is expected to launch by the end of the year.
Tags: car sharing, chicago car sharing, chicago events, eco-news, gas prices, green living, i-go news, neat stuff
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Monday, September 29th, 2008
An article in today’s Chicago Sun-Times highlights the green strides being made at Chicago’s tallest building, the Sears Tower. The Sears Tower now has an I-GO Car Sharing vehicle (a Honda Civic hybrid) in its garage, available for both tenants and businesses. Additionally, they’ve also made three “courtesy bikes” available to tenants through an online reservation system, and quadrupled their indoor bike storage program—although, admittedly, that only brings the indoor storage count up to 49 bikes, a rather small allocation considering the building’s tenant population. Tom Dempsey, Sears Tower vice president and general manager, says they plan to add more courtesy bikes, along with bike locks and helmets.
Tags: car sharing, chicago car sharing, eco-news, green living, living simply
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Friday, September 26th, 2008
Check out this Canadian news report on car sharing in Canada. Car sharing is booming in Canada, just as it is in the U.S. and the rest of the world. In fact, the city of Tel Aviv also recently jumped on board with the car sharing concept.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXIHqHYUT_Q&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1]
I-GO is already partners with 2 car sharing organizations in Canada- AutoShare, in Toronto and Co-operative Auto, in Vancouver. This means that as an I-GO Car Sharing member, you can also drive AutoShare and Co-operative Auto’s cars when you’re in their respective cities- cool, huh?
Tags: car sharing, cars, eco-news, gas prices, green living, living simply, neat stuff
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