Greening Up Your Driving
We spend more and more time behind the wheels of our cars so small changes in our driving habits can have dramatic effects on the environment. According to a UN Human Development Report in 2007, automobiles account for approximately 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries. Here are a few tips to help you go green while driving.
We won’t spend any time talking about buying a hybrid car because of course, that will help, but we may not be in the market for another car for quite some time and we want to talk about things you can do right away.
- Group trips together – Unless you need something right away, try to wait until you have a few errands to run before you start up the car and make that trip into town. Alternatively, keep a list of things that you need/errands that need run, so when you do have that emergency, you can stop and grab a few other things during the same trip before they become an emergency.
- Check Your Tires – Most people tell you to check the air in your tires and leave it at that, however, that is only half the story. You need to check your tires for improper wear, because if they are wearing incorrectly then you aren’t getting the best gas mileage you could get if your car was aligned correctly. Having correct shocks and springs can make a difference as well. PS – Check your air filter also.
- Drive for Mileage – Driving the speed limit actually saves you money! My truck gets 2 miles per gallon worse mileage every 10 miles over the speed limit. That can add up really fast. Excessive braking and accelerating also leads to poor gas mileage. Coast as much as you can, and accelerate smoothly instead of jamming on the gas pedal when the light turns green. Save the racing for video games.
For more information check out the following links
www.fueleconomy.gov, www.greenercars.org, or www.epa.gov/greenvehicles
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