We have all heard the praise for hybrid vehicles in reducing car emissions and improving air quality. However, not all of us choose to buy hybrid vehicles because of reasons such as the expense of hybrids, the lack of availability of hybrids, and the fact that a hybrid vehicle might not fit well with our lifestyle. If you don’t own a hybrid, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still help to reduce the environmental effects of all the driving we do. Here are a few tips on how to drive a more environment friendly SUV, or gas-powered car:
- Obey the speed limit. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the government agency responsible for making and enforcing environmental protection standards, you can improve your gas mileage about 15 percent by driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph.
- Put the car in overdrive and cruise control. Use the overdrive gear and cruise control as soon as your speed is high enough, as these feature improve fuel efficiency.
- Accelerate gradually. Quick acceleration and driving aggressively
can lower your car’s gas mileage. - Avoid quick stops and anticipate stops to avoid sudden braking. Gradual deceleration is more fuel efficient.
- Avoid idling. Turn off the engine while you are waiting; idling burns more gas than restarting the engine.
- Remove excess weight. Reduce drag by placing items in the trunk instead of on the roof. An extra 100 pounds of weight improves gas mileage by 2 percent.
- Use your air conditioning only when necessary. Roll down the windows or open air vents instead. The use of air conditioning may decrease fuel economy by as much as two miles per gallon.
- Inflate tires properly. Tires inflated to the maximum recommended pressure improve gas mileage by 3.3. percent.
- Use the gas and oil recommended in your owners manual. DonÁt
use premium fuel if your car doesn’t require it. Also, the use of recommended
oil improves gas mileage by 1-2 percent. - Keep your car tuned-up. Tune-ups improve general performance and improve gas mileage by 4.1 percent.
- Walk, bike, car pool, or take public transportation. Use your car only when necessary. If you own more than one vehicle, use the one that gets the best gas mileage as often as possible.
- Combine errands into one trip. Consolidate trips to destinations that are near one another and walk between destinations once you park.
- Live in an urban or suburban area. Neighborhoods where people can walk and bike to work, school, or shops lessen the need to drive as well as providing easy access to public transportation.
By following these tips you can: save money, reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to the hole in the ozone layer, enhance national energy security by decreasing dependence on imported oil, and conserve fossil resources for future generations.
Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more on this topic:
http://www.epa.gov (EPA website with links to government reports) (For additional information on this topic, search the EPA website using the term “gas mileage”.)
http://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles (EPA website with a listing of gas mileage for new model year cars and light trucks)
http://www.fueleconomy.gov (EPA/Department of Energy website that provides gas mileage, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution ratings, and safety information for new and used cars and trucks)
