Today- An obvious choice

I live a 45 minute walk from the nearest store. At that store, chain-smoking Maine natives grunt hello and then throw my oatmeal, the only vegan thing in the renovated trailer/cig shop, at me and expect me to walk peacefully back home. It's just not worth it. In order to get places where I live, the reality is that I need a car.

So what can be done for people who live in remote places that lack public transportation, or even the convenience of a convenience store? Rideshare, obviously. I've carpooled for years to and from dance classes with local girls. It's stressful, also, because I don't have my license, and I'm not sure if a car is a good investment. I've always assumed that buying an extra car just for the 2 years I'll need it at home would be a waste of money, because I'm ditching the gas-guzzler as soon as I move out to wherever I roam.

I guess that part of the reason why my ecological footprint number was so large was because I do have to commute in order to get where I'm going. So, in an effort to offset that number, I'm upping the number of commuters in the vehicle. I'm putting this into practice as soon as I can, which means I'm riding with my dance teacher partway to the studio tomorrow morning when I go to class. It not only saves the environment, my mother won't have to wake up and make the 50 minute drive after she's work all night (she's a nurse). Needless to say, my parents are all for it.

In the past, I've had experiences with alternative transportation, like buses, bikes, subways, and even hitchhiking. Because some of my modes have been a little dangerous, I'm going to have to get my license soon. I'd like to know of the "greenest" cars out there, whether they are specifically designed to be Green, or are just fuel-efficient, what your opinion is on the best transportation available, and just how much all this is going to cost me.

Thanks.