Traveling the Country in a Green RV

RVs may seem like the antithesis of low-impact living, and they definitely can be. Most of these monster vehicles voraciously consume gasoline, getting only around 8 miles per gallon. But, RVs can definitely be modified to be green – and when a solar-panel-equipped, biodiesel-fueled RV is your only home, you’re living more eco-friendly than the rest of us for sure.

From The New York Times:

Over the last few years, Sara and Matt Janssen have been downsizing their life. First, they moved from a 1,600-square-foot home to a small apartment in Montana. Then, wanting to tour the country without harming the planet, they took up residence in a recreational vehicle fueled by used vegetable oil.

They now travel with their 4-year-old daughter, Bella, spreading the word about the sustainable life.

Their motor home has a hot water capacity of only six gallons, “so I know how long my showers are,” said Ms. Janssen, a 31-year old photographer who also works for her father, a developer of franchises for Cold Stone Creamery. The RV’s limited space also means “we can’t buy anything because it won’t fit,” she said.

Add to that a comprehensive remodeling, including nontoxic paints, bamboo floors and the waste-grease fueling system, and the Janssen mobile home “is a self-contained lifestyle,” Ms. Janssen said.

The Janssens’ RV is an interesting and fun way to spread awareness of sustainability. As Ty Adams, another green RV owner said, “If you can make an RV sustainable, you can make any industry sustainable.” Adams thinks that instead of demonizing RVs, we should be working toward improving their performance.

The Westfalia Verdier RV that recently made the rounds in the green blogosphere is a great example of where this concept can be taken. As we previously reported, it’s got a diesel hybrid engine and solar panels controlled by a global positioning system to capture the maximum amount of sunlight.

You know, I’ve often wondered what it would be like to live like this… traveling around in a green vehicle that doubles as your primary residence. It seems like quite an interesting life!

Link [The New York Times]

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