Top 10 Green Driving Tips

We all know the importance of being green in today's world. How many times have you heard the phrase "Reduce your carbon footprint"? We can each pay attention to a few simple things each day to help raise awareness about the green movement and make our lives better in the process. The following tips will help you become a greener driver and ultimately save you time and money in most cases!

10) Pay Attention to the Speed Limit on the Highway - According to fueleconomy.gov, "You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas." Given today's gas prices, nobody wants to think about having to pay an extra quarter per gallon, so keep this in mind the next time you think you need to speed around that guy in the right lane at 85 mph - was it worth it?

9) Upgrade to a More Fuel Efficient Vehicle - If you drive a huge SUV and you're wondering why you're paying so much for so little miles, I think it's time you evaluate your need for that SUV. With the amount of hybrid vehicles and smaller, more fuel efficient cars on the road today, do you really need to drive solo to the grocery store every week in the Expedition or do you think you may be able to get there in a Prius, that costs half as much but gives you twice the mileage?

8) Car Sharing - This concept is becoming more and more popular since it doesn't make much sense for everyone to pay all that money for a car when it just sits in either your work parking lot or your garage for 90% of the day. Services like ZipCar allow you to 'rent' a car for a period of time and then drop it off at a designated zone, where the next renter can pick it up and use it for whatever they need.

7) Utilize your Cruise Control - When you're on the highway, you tend to travel around the same rate of speed for long distances, so setting your Cruise Control not only relieves that aching cramp in your leg, but also maintains your speed for you, keeping your engine's gas consumption from fluctuating to costly levels.

6) Lighten the Load - You may not realize it, but the extra "stuff" you carry around with you daily has an impact on your car's overall performance. Lighten the load (ie. Billy's hockey equipment that he won't use again until next week, empty bottles that you've been meaning to recycle, those golf clubs that you haven't hit in 2 months etc.) and your car's engine won't have to work as hard to get you from point A to point B.

5) Drive Smarter - We've all been in a vehicle with someone (maybe it's you!) that speeds off the line and then has to favor the brakes more often because they're consistently riding the bumper of the guy in front of them. This sudden acceleration combined with frequent periods of braking is costing you fuel efficiency, which at the end of the day costs you $$$. According to the EPA on fueleconomy.gov, this can reduce your gas mileage on the highway by up to 33%! Be mindful of your acceleration and deceleration as this will not only help your wallet, but may keep you from that next fender bender as well!

4) Where the Rubber Meets the Road - Keep an eye on your tire pressure. You can usually feel your car 'sinking' into the pavement or struggling to climb a small hill when the air in your tires is low. Tires that are low in pressure have more points of contact with the road, as the deflated rubber adheres to the Law of Gravity. Therefore they end up causing more friction between the rubber and the road which ultimately makes your engine have to work harder to propel that big metal box forward.

3) Go Green! - Biodiesel and Ethanol fuels are all the rage right now as we try to move away from our oil dependency. Biodiesel fuels are natural oils such as peanut or vegetable oils that have been processed to harness the energy stored in the fat, but since there isn't a national infrastructure in place as of yet for these energy sources the next best alternative is Ethanol. Ethanol is essentially an alcohol base derived from wood or corn pulp that is mixed with a small amount of gasoline. Some of the larger automakers are designing Flex-Fuel capable cars that can run on either gas or Ethanol and we're starting to see more gas stations pop up that are now carrying the latter!

2) Carpool - I think this one is pretty self-explanatory! Set up a schedule with the other parents so that when you take Timmy to soccer practice on Monday, you pick up three other teammates on the way. Or offer to drive your neighbor, who works one office building over, to work this week in exchange for rides next week.

1) Don't Drive At All! - If you really want to save money and help the environment while doing so, try walking or riding your bike to local places of interest. You'll feel better about yourself knowing that you're getting a little exercise and that you are working to reduce your carbon footprint!

Source:

www.fueleconomy.gov