Let’s be kind to the environment this Earth Day!
If there is one day that signifies spring, it’s definitely Earth Day. By this time the trees are budding, grass and flowers are peaking through the ground, and Mother Nature is showering us with the rain.
When thinking about Earth Day, the last thing we might consider is a our cars. Since the majority of our vehicles still tend to pollute our environment – unless you are going hybrid or electric – we should be conscious of minimizing our carbon footprint. There are ways we can cut down on the amount of emissions our vehicles put into the atmosphere without breaking the bank and purchasing a new earth-friendly automobile.
Check out some of these tips on improving your vehicle’s fuel efficiency and becoming a greener driver…and you may be able to save some extra cash on the side.
1.) Check your tire pressure
Check your tires’ psi (pounds per square inch). Each month, your tire loses about 1 psi, and 3 pounds or more below the recommended tire pressure can result in fuel efficiency loss.
2.) Keep the motor running
Yes! This sounds crazy, but an idle engine creates 5 times more pollution to start, compared to an engine that has been running.
3.) Don’t rage
Don’t let road rage and aggressive driving be the culprits behind your frequent gas fill-ups. Excessive lane changing and accelerating and breaking too quickly can reduce your mpg (mile per gallon) efficiency up to 33 percent.
4.) Don’t over fill
Many of us like to add those last few drops of gasoline to our tanks, but this actually causes excessive fumes to be released in to the atmosphere. Don’t top off the tanks; however, fill them up to their appropriate capacity.
5.) Carpool
This is obvious, but carpooling with friends or even co-workers a couple of days out of the week goes a long way.
6.) Keep it light
Remove any heavy loads from your vehicles like bike racks to help decrease weight and increase miles per gallon.
7.) Think “right”
Plan your commute and try to incorporate as many right turns into your route. You will be able to turn right on many red lights, which will help save gas and cut down on idle time sitting at stop lights.
8.) Inspect under the hood
Doing routine checks of oxygen sensors, spark plugs, belts and hoses can help save you money on gas and improve fuel efficiency.
9.) Minimize A/C
Keep your A/C at a minimum or turn it off. Blasting the A/C can reduce your car’s fuel efficiency by 25 percent.
10.) ParkWhiz
Fact: “About 30% of traffic is due to driving around looking for parking.”
Use www.ParkWhiz.com to reserve your parking in advance so you don’t have to drive around looking for parking, thus reducing the amount of emissions released into the air.
Happy Earth Day!
