How to Save the Earth One Commute at a Time
Many of us are looking for ways to drive in a more eco friendly way in order to save money on petrol and diesel. And lots of green people would love to own a hybrid or electric car.
But what if you can’t afford to buy a brand new car right now?
Our guest writer today shares ways to improve your mileage and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time:
The more often you have to stop or change gears or adjust your acceleration/deceleration the more fuel you are going to burn.
Make sure that road conditions are good before travelling and choosing the smoothest route possible.
We’re also talking about shifting gears at the correct times. You might like the sound of a revving engine but revving the engine is terrible for the car AND the environment! So is driving around at too low a gear for too long.
Use LED Lights
Use LED lights for your headlights. These lights are brighter and last far longer than their incandescent counterparts so you won’t have to replace them as often (which reduces waste).
They also require less energy to operate correctly.
This means they are less of a draw on your car’s battery which, in turn, will need to be replaced less often as well.
Get a service
Do not wait for something to break on your car to take it in to the repair shop and have it looked at. Your car needs certain things to happen at certain times such as changing the oil regularly and getting your mileage checkups (service) on time.
It means checking fluids and all of those other “little” things that you keep putting off until later. Properly maintaining your car improves your fuel efficiency which reduces your carbon footprint.
It also reduces the number of things on your car that are going to need to be replaced which reduces waste, further reducing your carbon footprint.
Tyre Pressure Matters
Make sure that your tyre pressure is correct. For every three pounds between where your tyre pressure actually is and where it is supposed to be your fuel usage goes up.
Check your tyre pressure at least once a month if not more often. Replace your tyres on time and when you do, switch to the low-rolling resistance tyres which are designed to improve your mileage and hence reduces fuel cost.
Be a light weight
Are you carrying around an empty roof rack? Spare stuff in the boot you’ve not bothered to clear out? Every pound counts when when it comes to fuel economy!
Simply put; the more your car weighs, the more fuel it needs to move forward.
An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2 percent according to the department of energy, so empty out all those boxes of stuff!
These five things are just a few of the methods that can help you increase your fuel economy while also reducing your carbon footprint. How many more can you find?
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