Even though Earth Day 2022 has come and gone, we don’t have to stop thinking about our impact on the environment until it rolls around again next year. It’s important to do your part to recycle and participate in other eco friendly habits to help our Earth as much as we can, year-round.
Listed below are 10 easy tips for being more environmentally friendly while on the road. By utilizing these steps, we can help cut down on environmental waste, water usage, and carbon emissions. We know it can be overwhelming going green when you don’t know where to start, so we created these 10 steps with a mind to the little, easy things.
- Add a recycling container in your cab alongside your trash, separate your recyclables, and then empty appropriately when convenient. (Tip: We recommend separating plastic bottles, cardboard, paper materials, and alumnium cans for your recycling bin.)
- Use reusable water bottles instead of purchasing single-use water bottles. (Tip: If you need to buy water when traveling, try to buy one that has a cardboard container instead of a plastic bottle.)
- Plan out your meals to reduce food waste…meal prepping can also help you save money!
- Meal prep with reusable containers. You can also keep reusable straws and utensils in your cab. (Tip: When your reusable containers, straws, or untensils get dirty, clean them at truck stops.)
- Keep your tires properly inflated to save on fuel consumption.
- Unplug your small appliances when not in use. (Tip: Plug your small appliances and devices into a surge or power strip when you can. It’s not only safer for your electronics, but it also will be easier to turn off the power and save energy.)
- Use an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) instead of idling when parked.
- Optimize your route by utilizing the Drive Werner Pro app and the EDGE Connect tablet.
- Maintain your truck by scheduling regular maintenance to keep it running at its peak condition.
- Fuel up in the mornings to help cut down the number of times you must stop and fill up during the day. This will help to save fuel and save greenhouse gas emissions.
At the end of the day, adding these small changes into your daily routine will help make them easier to stick with in the long run.
Even the smallest change can be a great start to help our environment and make a difference long term – but it doesn’t end there. With future technology advancements, we will likely see other positive impacts on the environment from the industry in the near future.
Make sure to share your going green progress and other eco friendly tips you have!
