More and more people are now aware of the environmental-related problems that could cloud the horizon of the future generations.

Fortunately, more and more families are now aware that their apparently small decisions that encourage the green initiatives can have a hugely positive impact for our planet’s tomorrow.

Choosing to have a green family vacation is an initiative that will not only help you preserve the environment, but will also teach your kids several useful lessons. Choosing a hotel that is known to be environmental-friendly is always a good idea.

In addition to this, you should also use eco-friendly transportation during your holiday. The good news is that the electric cars are now present in most of the offers provided by the larger car rental companies.

It All Began with the Chevy Volt

It all started with Chevrolet Volt, which first became available for rental in 2011. It uses only 0.25 gallons of gasoline for 100 miles. In addition to this, when it is fully charged, the Volt can be driven for about 45 miles without needing to be plugged into a power source.

Fortunately, even if the battery is exhausted, the gasoline powers a green Ecotec generator that will boost the maximum vehicle range to about 360 miles, an impressive distance indeed.

The Volt isn’t the only hybrid car that can ensure that you enjoy a greener family vacation, though; several car manufacturers are now interested in coming up with low emission cars that will help reduce the CO2 levels as well as fuel consumption.

And the good news doesn’t stop there — these cars are also getting less and less expensive, so their rental prices have gone down as well.

Lexus and Honda Introduce Green Vehicles

Some of the most recent hybrid cars, (Lexus CT 200h, for example), have extremely low CO2 footprints, and some countries that really want to encourage the green technologies — England being one of them — actually reward the people that use hybrid cars by waiving the road taxes that should be paid under normal conditions.

Honda is also planning to release a diesel hybrid this autumn; it’s going to be a compact 4x4 luxury vehicle that should fit the needs of most families. It is also rumored to be ergonomic for comfort on those long drives.

There’s a single major disadvantage that’s usually associated with hybrid cars: the recharging stations aren’t that widespread yet. But this problem is about to get solved as well, as the wireless charging technologies are making huge progress these days.

There are still a few problems that need to be solved, but the system should be fully functional close to the end of the year.

Electric Bikes are a Good Vacation Option

It’s not all about renting hybrid cars, though. Once again, England has to be commended, as several of its car rental companies have offered the tourists that were interested in seeing the Olympics electric bikes.

These have a zero CO2 footprint and allowed the tourists to reach their destinations quickly, in a London that was more crowded than ever.

No matter what type of car you choose to rent for your vacation, there are many other things that you and your family members can do in order to protect our planet; avoiding speed boats and concentrating on green activities like hiking, cycling and so on, is always a good idea.

About the Author:

George Pirvu, the author of this article, works as a blogger for Thrifty Car Rentals Romania, a car hire agency in Eastern Europe that is a supporter of the green travel initiatives.

Tweet

Articles Others are Reading

• Eco Camping Tips
• How to Save Money When Buying a New or Used Car
• Save on Gas Expenses with Some of the Best Cars on the Road in 2012

Website © 2012 Kelly Smith All rights reserved; content may not be copied, rewritten, or republished without author’s written permission; Webmaster’s Google profile; Posted August 22, 2012