Learning From Jay Leno's Big Green Garage

Jay Leno, the 57 -year-old host of "The Tonight Show," is well known for his enthusiasm for car collecting. He is also becoming increasingly well known for his enthusiasm for going green. He even writes a regular column on the subject for Popular Mechanics.

These days he's going even further with a systematic green upgrade to his monstrous Big Dog Garage, 17,000 square feet of Southern California storage for his enormous motor fleet, reports the Virginian-Pilot.

In October the famous comic installed a $450,000, 54-kilowatt solar-power system to power the lights, a/c and tools in his garage. He's also got a wind turbine, uses eco-friendly cleaners (including an ultrasonic system and a microbe-based formula), reusable containers, and is a big recycler.

Leno told the Virginian-Pilot, "There are people who say, 'Well, you should sell all your cars and ride your bicycle.' No. I'm not going to do that, but what else can I do?"

Leno's attitude can be applied to more than just the super wealthy and famous. Not everyone is ready, willing and able to ditch cars altogether in favor of greener transportation. But we can take inspiration from Leno, and green up in incremental ways that fit nicely with our individual lifestyles.

For instance, here are some simple tips to improve your gas mileage in your current car, with smart driving.

Check out more coverage of Jay's Big Green Garage, with video, at Popular Mechanics.

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