Did you know that getting a GPS device is another way to go green and help the environment? If you already have a GPS, pat yourself on the back, because your car is less cluttered with the wasted trees of printed directions. As you know, most online map services serve up lots of printed ads along with the directions, so what often times should be one page of printed directions usually ends up as two or three.
Apply some simple math, and the environmental waste quickly compounds based on the above factor of ad-intensive print outs, and the number of steps it takes to get from your starting point to the destination. With the high cost of petroleum these days, taking the shortest route is a common practice, and one that reduces or completely limits the amount of highways included in your directions. This means lots of backroads, and turn after turn. Each left, right, or “follow” is an additional printed line of output. You’re saving gas, but 50 miles of shortest-distance directions might take more than five pages to print.
Sure, there are ways to get around printing long sets of directions. A common way is to print multiple pages on one sheet, but that really isn’t the safest practice. Squinting to read your printed directions while on a dimly-lit back road is a recipe for disaster.
The simple fact is that GPS is extremely affordable. Much like the paperless offices of today, we are now entering the world of a paperless car. With less paper and printing, we are helping the environment by not using a medium that is too often crumpled up and thrown away. Even the best and most often used directions end up getting coffee spilled on them, but a GPS device, well-positioned on your dashboard won’t have that problem. If it ever does, just wipe it off. To help save the environment one less sheet of paper at a time, check out some Great GPS Devices. Whether you are looking to buy your first GPS, or thinking about upgrading, it is worth your time.
By: Jeremy Lakota
Posts Tagged ‘Highways’
GPS Deals a Green Hand to the Environment
March 5th, 2010A GPS Device Can Save You Time And Effort
March 4th, 2010
Recently I made a trip to Los Angeles, CA and rented a car, they offered me to include a GPS device, and I am so glad I did, It was like having somebody who knows perfectly all the streets, highways etc. sitting next to you as your co-pilot.
A GPS (Global Positioning System) uses satellite signals to locate your position around the globe, this combined with pre charged maps can give you the exact directions to drive from where you are to any place you want to go, just knowing its adress.
This device has a touch screen, where the software prompts you to enter the city where you want to drive in or to, then the street adress and then “wow” it gives you the route to follow, with a on-screen map, indications step by step and turn by turn until you reach your destination. While driving, you don’t need to see the screen, because a human voice is telling you steps like “prepare to turn right in 0.5 miles” or in 105 yards, keep left” and continues doing it until you arrive to the place you are going, without having to pull over to check maps.
At this point you may be thinking, what if I make a wrong turn and get out of the route? no problem, the sistem instantly recalculates the route and gives you new instructions. Cool huh?
There are several kinds and brands of this devices, and everyday their prices are getting lower, so this is a nice gadget you must start thinking to have in your car.
By: Juan Uflerbaumer
