All those lead foot drivers out there shouldn’t consider themselves green. In the U.S., where transportation accounts for 28% of emissions from fossil fuels, a light foot on the gas can have a significant impact on the environment. And, they shouldn’t complain about the price of gas when they can reduce their cost by a third, according to the experts, by driving with a light foot. I make it a game to see how far I can coast and maybe not even stop before the next light or stop sign. Of course, the lead foots behind me often floor it to get ahead of me, and then slam on their brakes.

When the insurance companies put their satellite trackers in customers’ vehicles, they find that what predicts accidents are fast starts and hard braking – a lead foot. While the planet burns we are still discussing how fast the more efficient cars go from 0-60 mph and ads brag about the awesome power of some trucks. On a recent 10-hour round trip from Maine to Vermont, driving the speed limit, we kept track and every car and truck passed us, and the average speed most of them were going was at least 10 miles over the speed limit, with many way over that.

There should be much more media pressure reminding us of an easy, free way to put a real dent in fossil fuel emissions, including from environmental groups.

Kip Cleaver
Rockland