* Winner Selected, Contest Officially Over *

The GPS is a great invention, but sometimes you take a trip you want to preserve on paper. When we drove to Florida last year, we bought a Rand McNally Road Atlas. Passing through five states in 24 hours can be kind of hard to explain to young kids. Maps made all the difference. ;)

We’re getting ready for another trip this fall and now we’ve got greener options for our recording our family roadtrip adventures. In celebration of providing accurate, helpful information to travelers on the road for 85 years, Rand McNally has given their road atlas a bit of an overhaul. This includes sourcing their paper from forests managed under programs like the Sustainable Forest Initiative, and manufactured without many traditional chemicals, like chlorine.

The guide has much more to offer though, with a variety of fun family roadtrips, hot spots, and state trivia to make planning trips easy, and time spent on the road more fun.

Between now and the 4th of July, you can enter to win one of their 2009 85th Anniversary Rand McNally road atlases. Just let me know where you’re going, or tell me about your favorite family roadtrip from the past. I’ll pick a random winner on July 5th.

More information on the guide, and its online features, at the Rand McNally website.

[Image: Rand McNally]

Post from: EveryJoe

Celebrate 85 years with Rand McNally … and win!

Thanks to All who participated.

What’s better than a hybrid-only luxury car service in the Big Apple? A hybrid-only luxury car service that donates a portion of their profits to NYC-based environmental causes.

While I haven’t used this service personally, it sounds like they’re keeping luxury and environment in mind. Their fleet is made up of 2007 and 2008 Toyota Camry and luxury Lexus hybrids, including SUVs. Inside the car, drivers have navigation and screen communication in the front seat, so passengers are never bothered by driver-dispatch radio conversations. Also suited the GPS transmitters, the cars can be tracked by dispatch to give clients a more accurate arrival time.

In addition to helping New York City endeavors – like Trees New York, the New York Restoration Project and Green Guerrillas – they let the client choose which group will get the support from their dollars.

Post from: EveryJoe

NYC Green Luxury Car Service Does Double Duty

I wanted to take a moment to express some thanks for all the resources, and camaraderie here at the b5media blogging network. Since beginning EcoFriendlyDriver.com, I’ve run into a number of really wonderful blogs – and even more wonderful people behind them.

First, I’ve got to give a shout-out to the tech channel editor, Jayvee Fernandez. Among other things, he’s the blogger at Cellphone9. He’s also celebrating the holidays with a brand new special someone. :)

Next, I’d have to say Jen Chait over at TreeHuggingFamily (and Offbeat Homes, and … well, look up her bio) has been overwhelming kind and helpful. Her blog is full of easy ways to lessen our impact on the Earth, and she makes it easier still to share them with the whole family.

As for, like, my favorite blogs ever, Lia Espina over at Gadgenista takes the cake. I love all the hip, yet somehow still geeky, treasures she brings to light.

Erin Balser at Chic by Nature and Noel Drake Boehm at Pretty by Nature also do their fair share of tantalizing readers with the latest and most luxurious products with eco-friendly allure. AND … they aren’t always expensive. Noel gave a great tip on how to freshen up your winter feet using items you might already have at home.

These people have all made my online experience, in particular here at b5, more fun. Stop by their blogs, check them out, and be sure to subscribe to their feeds if the moment strikes.

Post from: EveryJoe

Holiday Tidings for 2007

1) Reduce your carbon tire print with Terrapass. The company sells kits, consisting mostly of promotional materials for the company you can put on your car or fridge, while the money spent goes to projects that help extract CO2 from the air. There’s also a collection of carbon emissions calculators on the website.

2) Thanks to The Gadget Blog for highlighting this nifty GPS software, ViewRanger. Now nature lovers can keep track of  what they’re working to save.

3) Know someone just starting to drive (or someone who needs a refresher course)? Get eco-friendly driving instruction online, or hands-on (where available) using a fleet of hybrid vehicles, through Drivers Ed Direct.

4) Tire pressure is just one of many ways maintenance affects fuel efficiency. Warn your friends when theirs is low with the help of LED Tire Pressure Alert Valve Caps.

5) Encourage any driver to do more for their world by replacing their small appliance charges with a solar one, like this SolarRoll , that can charge (with the right adapters) everything from laptops, cameras, cell phones, iPods and more.

Post from: EveryJoe

5 Green Gifts for Eco-Friendly Drivers

You can find out more about GEM or the four GEM-friendly communities currently operating in the US today, at gemcar.com

GEM’s “neighborhood electric vehicles” are road worthy in most states, on roadways where the speed limit is 35 mph or below. There are models seating up to 6, with doors and without, even with truck beds, and in a variety of colors. They are also fairly inexpensive, especially in contrast with the vehicles on today’s lots.

Post from: EveryJoe

NEVs in your neighborhood?