Driving less is easier than you think. Use this scorecard to figure out how.

Driving is Seattle's biggest source of climate pollution. The city is making changes to improve options to the car, but we rely on you to drive less. Reduce your driving by 1,000 miles this year—just 20 miles every week. Doing so saves money and the planet.

Fact: Driving 1,000 miles less saves 1,000 pounds of climate pollution.

Fact: Driving 1,000 miles less is about a 10 percent reduction in the average Seattleite’s driving.

Shop at your neighborhood store

Patty, a mom in Fremont, goes to her local grocery instead of driving to the big box store five miles away. She spent a few dollars more, but eliminated a couple of 25 minute trips stuck in her car with bored kids in the back seat. She also visited with her neighbors and enjoyed the blooming flowers on her walk. Most trips are non-work trips that happen right in your neighborhood .

Miles reduced: 10 per week, or 500 miles per year

Sarah made a change to bike and walk to the local grocery store for those last minute items instead of driving. She was driving a mile almost every other day, which added up to 3 miles a week.

Miles reduced: 3 miles per week, or 150 miles per year (assumes a two-week vacation)

Your reward: Sign up for the Way to Go Thank You Drawing for reducing car trips to win great prizes.

Which car trips can you convert to local trips you can bike or walk to?

How many miles do you save a year?

Organize a carpool to school or church

Three Phinney Ridge parents started carpooling their children three days per week to their elementary school two miles away. This gave each parent a little extra time twice a week, and reduced pollution at their children’s school by minimizing the number of cars idling in the parking lot.

Miles reduced: 8 miles per week, or 400 miles a year (assumes a two-week vacation)

Your reward: Sign up for Cut a Couple of Car Trips, report the number cut and enter a drawing to win great prizes.

Which individual trips can you convert to carpool trips?  

Combine your trips

Ray often found himself running to Home Depot in the early morning, to the grocery store and dry cleaner later the same day, and the video store at night. When he planned ahead and consolidated trips, he drove about 10 miles total instead of 18 miles per round trip.

Miles reduced: 8 miles per week, or 400 per year (assumes a two-week vacation)

Your reward: Sign up for the Way to Go Thank You Drawing for reducing car trips to win great prizes.

Which individual trips can you combine?

How many miles do you save a year?

Change Your Commute

Sam in West Seattle started taking the bus two days a week instead of driving to work. He finally found the time to read the Tolkien book series – and was less stressed and saved money. The average commute in Seattle is about 10 miles one way.

Miles reduced: 40 miles per week, or 2,000 per year

Your reward: Sign up for Commuter Cash and earn $60 by reducing your driving twice per week for a year, or $150 if you reduce driving five days per week for a year.

How many work trips a week can you cut?

How many miles do you save a year?

Sell Your Car

The Martin family in Ballard sold their second car. Now they take their kids to the Sonics game on the bus. The kids love pulling the bell on the bus and the parents don’t pay for parking. Owning a car costs several thousands of dollars per year.

Miles reduced: 60 miles per week, or about 3,000 miles per year ( based on City of Seattle One Less Car Study )

Your reward: Sign up for the One Less Car Challenge and receive up to $400 in incentives. Plus, you’ll pay yourself more than $400 per month in car-cost savings.

Could you sell one of your cars?

How many miles do you save a year?

Add up your miles. How many were you able to save a year?

Visit www.SeattleCAN.org, or call 206-684-3267, to learn more about options to help you drive 1,000 miles less a year. Good luck, you can make a difference.

Drive 1,000 miles less this year and reduce your carbon footprint by 1,000 pounds of CO2.