Driving Green
Buying green is just the first step in reducing the environmental impact of automobile use. Your choice of vehicle is most important, but how you drive and how well you maintain your vehicle will also make a difference.
Here are some valuable tips:
- Avoid "jack rabbit" starts and agressive driving. Flooring the gas pedal not only wastes gas, it leads to drastically higher polution rates. One second of high-powered driving can produce nearly the same volume of carbon monoxide emissions as a half-hour of normal driving.
- Think ahead. Try to anticipate stops and let your vehicle coast down as much as possible. Avoid the increased pollution, wasted gas, and wear on your brakes.
- Follow the speed limit! Driving 75 mph instead of 65 mph will lower fuel economy by about 10%, and can dramatically increase tailpipe pollution.
- When possible, plan your trips to reduce rush hour. Stop and go driving burns gas and increases emissions of smog-forming pollutants.
- Combine trips. Warmed-up engines engines and catalysts generate much less air pollution, so combining several short trips into one can make a big difference.
- Take a load off. Carrying around an extra 100 pounds reduces fuel economy by about 1%. Take a few moments to unload your cargo area.
- If your vehicle has it, use overdrive gear at cruising speeds. When driving a manual transmission, shift up as soon as possible. Running a higher gear decreases the rpm and will decrease fuel use and engine wear.
- Try using vents and opening windows to cool off before turning on the air conditioner. Air conditioner use increases fuel consumption, increases NOx emissions in some vehicles, and involves environmentally damaging fluids.
- Unlike many older cars and trucks, modern vehicles don't need to warm up and the have automatic chokes, so you don't need to step on the gas pedal before starting the engine.
Green Maintenance Tips
Your owner's manual is the best source of information about how to care for your vehicle. Refer to it for instructions about proper maintenance and service specific to your make and model.
- Keep your tires properly inflated. Tires should be inflated to the pressure recommended for your vehicle; this information is often printed inside the door frame or in your owner's manual. For every 3 pounds below recommended pressure, fuel economy goes down by about 1 percent. Tires can lose about 1 pound of pressure in a month, so check the air pressure regularly and always before going on a long trip or carrying heavy loads. Underinflated tires can also detract from handling, safety, and how long the tires will last.
- Buy low-rolling-resistance (LRR) replacement tires. Switching to a typical set of replacement tires lowers a vehicle's fuel economy as much as 4 percent. LRR tires, on the other hand, are specially designed to improve a vehicle's fuel economy. Most major tire manufacturers now produce LRR models, so when it comes time to replace your tires, seek out a set of LRRs.
- Check your own fuel economy every few weeks. If you notice it slipping, that could mean you have a minor problem with the engine or your brakes. Using this advance warning, you can fix problems before you have a breakdown on the road.
- Get a tune-up. Whether you do it yourself or go to a mechanic, a tune-up can increase your fuel economy. Follow owner's manual guidelines. Be sure to check for worn spark plugs, dragging brakes, and low transmission fluid; have your wheels aligned and tires rotated; and replace the air filter if needed. Make sure all used vehicle fluids are recycled or disposed of safely.
- Change the oil. In addition to making your car or truck last longer, replacing the oil and oil filter regularly will also help fuel economy. Check your owner's manual for specific recommendations about how often to change. Ask the dealer if they recycle used oil (we do here at Big Valley Ford Lincoln Mercury!).
- Have your vehicle's emission control system checked periodically. Bring it in for service if an instrument panel warning light comes on.
