Eco

What trend these days doesn't come with an avalanche of eco-examples? Check out what Volkswagen, Fiat, Garmin, HP and others came up with to assist customers in greening their behavior (and sometimes saving some money in the process, too):

• Created by Fiat, eco:Drive is an application that can be downloaded to USB and transferred to a vehicle's onboard computer, aiming to improve driving efficiency by measuring the driver's ability to drive in an eco-friendly manner. The software evaluates the user's driving style and gives a mark out of 100. Online tutorials subsequently encourage drivers to improve their score, and ultimately reduce their carbon emissions.

• In March 2009, Galp Energia launched Galpshare, a carpooling platform available throughout Portugal, where commuters can create a profile, specify their daily route and find others heading the same way. Users can also list their musical preferences and interests, helping them find people they'd enjoy sharing a ride with.
• In 2009, Garmin developed ecoRoute, a downloadable program that determines a route's eco-friendliness. Users can download the free ecoRoute software update from the Garmin website, and it will determine the environmental cost of a future trip, allowing informed decisions to be made about whether it is better value to take a car or public transport.
• Chevrolet teamed up with the 2010 SXSW festival to offer the Chevy Volt Recharge Lounge where visitors could enjoy refreshments and recharge their electronic devices. The brand also offered a 'Catch a Chevy' service, which offered festival-goers lifts around Austin.