Green Your Ride.
You'll save on gas (and carbon emissions) by:
1) Turning off your car instead of letting it idle for just 10 seconds or more -- a good thing to remember when you're waiting on the teller at the bank, your lunch at the drive-through or your friend at the convenience store. (Weather permitting of course. Let's not bake in a hot car, or freeze in a cold one, just to save some gas.)
2) Rolling up windows when you're going highway speeds -- there's less resistance, making it easier for your car to move and save you gas.
3) Checking tire pressure every month -- that's how quick your tires lose one pound of pressure per square inch. Keep them properly inflated, and your tires will not only roll just right, but also last longer.
4) Giving your car a tune-up -- it can increase fuel-efficiency 15-50%!
5) Driving slow and smooth -- you use 33% more fuel if your idea of driving is gunning the gas and slamming on your brakes.
6) Increase the aerodynamics of your vehicle by removing roof racks
And if you are planning to take the next step by purchasing something new that's more fuel-efficient, remember that weight and aerodynamics are key -- that means light vs. heavy ... low vs. tall ... and round edged vs. "boxy" ones.
1 comment:
We make near-monthly car trips to L.A. from Phoenix, and we always check the tire pressure before we go. Initially, it was to help ensure safety at high speeds on the freeway. But it's great to know it also saves us gas ... and CO2 emissions too. Now we just need to remember those monthly air pressure checks even when we're not planning a road trip.
As for turning off the car instead of idling for even 10 seconds, that's not a possibility here in Arizona -- at least not right now in the summertime when temps are 110 and above. But we'll definitely remember to turn off at banks, drive-throughs, etc., during other times of the year, even during the winter when our coldest weather is generally still mild enough to sit in an unheated car for a few seconds, especially during the day.
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