How to Green a Car

A new Toyota Prius or a Lexus LS 600H L may be too much for your pocket, and the thought of buying a diesel Mercedes-Benz and converting it to run on peanut oil may sound just too out there for you. Even so, for a driver concerned about the environment and global warming, there are still plenty of things to do to keep a gas-guzzler running on less and cut its greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Some smarts

1. Be conscious of your driving habits. Avoid sudden starts and stops and observe the speed limit. For every 5-mph you drive over the 60 mph mark you add a dime to the price of every gallon of gas you buy.
2. Avoid letting your car idle. It’s more fuel efficient to turn off your car and re-start it.
3. Keep the car as well tuned as you possibly can. A poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by up to 50 percent.
4. Change your oil on a regular basis. When you keep the oil in your car clean you reduce the wear and tear in the moving parts of your car’s engine.
5. Use the right grade of oil for your car to ensure it runs as smoothly as it should in all types of weather.
6. Replace your air filter on a regular basis. This can improve the mpg you get up to 10 percent.
7. Replace your fuel filter on a regular basis. If the fuel filter is clean your engine will run better and save gas.
8. Check your car’s alignment. If it’s off it will cause the car to drag and this will increase your gas usage.
9. Check your tire pressure regularly with a tire gauge. If you drive on wheels that are under-inflated your car’s fuel efficiency will be reduced by up to 2 percent for each pound that the tires are under-inflated.
10. Get the junk out of your trunk. Extra weight saps your fuel economy.
11. Cut down on your AC use. Use the windows to help keep the car cool and think about investing in an electric or solar fan. Parking in the shade and using a reflective windshield shade will also keep your car cool.

Tips & Warnings

• If you drive diesel, change to biodiesel. This clean, domestic, veggie-based, carbon-neutral fuel will run in any diesel car or truck with little or no modification to the engine and can now be found in almost any state in the US.
• Do without your car as often as possible. Walk short distances or ride your bike to go on errands-–it’s better for your health too. Team up with some co-workers and carpool.
• Instead of driving to a meeting why not teleconference. Ask your phone provider about the teleconferencing services they can offer.
• For information about energy efficiency, the latest on hybrids, alternative fuels and more, check out the US Dept of Energy site in Additional Resources.
• Take your tire pressure seriously. If every American car had its tires inflated properly the country could save around 2 billion gallons of gas each year.