by Brook Wilkinson

Public transportation might be the greenest way to get to the airport--share your carbon load with 150 strangers, whether they showered this morning or not--but sometimes you just can't roll out of bed early enough to catch the bus, or don't want to schlep two 50-pound bags up and down the subway stairs. What to do? Surf over to Hitchsters.com. This new service matches up people heading to and from the same airport at the same time, and sends a car service to fetch you. You split the fare--and the greenhouse gases--with your new pal.

The program is currently up and running in New York and San Francisco, and promises to come online in Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. soon. Every time you share a ride, you get to rate your companion online (the info is seen only by Hitchsters.com), which screens out no-shows and creepsters. I haven't had an opportunity to use the service yet myself, and I suspect it might be hard to find matches for rides home from the airport--Hitchsters only matches people on the same exact flight, in case it arrives late. Anyone had a go yet? What did you think?

Further reading:
* Video: The Future of Flying: By 2030, the plane arriving at your gate could resemble this: a fuel-efficient aircraft with theater seating and a radical, stingray-shaped design.
* Responsible Traveler: Making a difference