A friend of mine held a job at a library in a large, public educational institution and was being harassed by an environmental group on a weekly basis because the library was not purchasing recycled paper. The fact that this cost a good deal more than the paper they were currently using which would affect struggling students did not occur to the environmental crusaders. So, though we might like to think of ourselves as altruistic human beings, the fact is that most people are not willing to inconvenience themselves to make a seemingly small impact on the environment. Carpooling is good for the increasingly toxic air and also has some very tangible benefits for participants.

Carpooling is the sharing of a car by two or more passengers to save resources or help the environment. How beneficial is carpooling to the environment? According to a study performed in 1998, cars contribute 48% of the carbon monoxide emissions into the air. In addition to carbon monoxide, cars also emit greenhouse gases. Any fluid escaping the car inevitably is washed into the storm drains which contribute heavily to water pollution. Cars have also been proven to be the main cause of noise pollution in the cities which can cause sleep trouble and general agitation for residents. Clearly, cars impact the environment severely and in many different ways, and every single one that is taken off the road is beneficial to building a healthful environment.

There are people who do not believe that the earth is in the bad shape that many scientists and politicians have been concerned with recently. It can be hard for some people to believe that their individual actions can make an impact. Carpooling can directly impact the quality of life of you and your neighbors which makes it even more rewarding. On average, a person spends $1000 a year on gas, and if one were to assume that you were just sharing the car with one person and they were making you pay for exactly half their gas, you would be saving at $500. This estimate is a bit on the high side as only a portion of the mileage taken into consideration is used to get to and from work