Rvers are Green
Guest Author - Erin Lehn

RVs have gotten a bad rap as gas-guzzling hunks of metal driving down the road. But many full-time RVers actually use less fuel per week than regular commuters. Plus, there are many other variables to consider as well. Because of the limited space and resources, Rvers shop only for what they need, reuse containers, conserve water and battery power and use natural gas. Plus, many RVers enjoy living "off the grid" so they use solar and wind energy when possible.

Water Conservation
A regular household with only two people living in it can easily use 100 gallons of water per day. However, an RV household with two people uses significantly less water. Rvers are very cautious when it comes to conserving water. In a regular household, somebody taking a shower can use up to two gallons of water per minute. Whereas an RVer uses only two to four gallons, period! Flushing the toilet in a regular household can use up to three gallons of water. In an RV it is closer to three cups. (check out the chart below to see average household use of water)

Fuel
Unless an RVer has to get somewhere quick, they are pretty conservative on fuel, driving no more than 300 miles in a day. And usually when they get to their location, they stay put for awhile and use pedal, electric or foot power to get around.

Rvers obey the speed limit for several reasons; and one of them is fuel efficiency. It is a known fact that fuel economy decreases rapidly at speeds over 60mph. According to the Iowa Energy Center, each 5mph over 60mph is like paying an additional 10 cents per gallon for gas.

Many diesel powered RVs also use bio-diesel fuel; a recycled fuel made from organic oils. Many potential organic fuels presently pose a waste disposal problem, for example waste vegetable fats used for cooking require costly disposal. But most of these materials can easily be re-processed to make useful fuels by the process of transesterification.

Other
Rvers use propane gas for heating and cooking. Propane is a very clean burning fuel, and since RVers have to refill their propane tanks on a regular basis, they tend to be more conservative when using this resource. They are also some of the highest consumers of solar and wind energy products. Some RVers live for months, even years, at a time without using any electricity to run their household.

When it comes to waste disposal, RVers choose products that help preserve the planet. They use the wiffaway or bacteria-based enzyme holding tank solutions. This keeps their RV eco-friendly by not polluting the environment with toxic chemicals.

So the next time you seen an RV rambling down the highway remember that Rvers are eco-friendly too!

Average Home (Not RV) Usage of Water:
Bath: 50 gallons
Shower: 2 gallons per minute
Teeth brushing: 1 gallon
Hands/face washing: 1 gallon
Face/leg shaving: 1 gallon
Dishwasher: 20 gallons/load
Dishwashing by hand: 5 gallons/load
Clothes washing (machine): 10 gallons/load
Toilet flush: 3 gallons
Glasses of water drunk: 8 oz. per glass (1/16th of a gallon)



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