GREEN
YOUR MACHINE
Not
Everyone Drives a Hybrid
Check
out these tips to Green the ol' Grocery Getter:
Be
Aware of Your Driving Habits
Plan
Your Trips
Plan to do a number of errands in one trip rather than
several trips and save both time and fuel. Avoid peak-hour traffic,
hard accelerating and heavy braking as they all waste fuel.
Driving smoothly and avoiding stop-start traffic saves fuel
and up to 30 percent of greenhouse emissions.
Select The Right Gear
Change up through the gears and into top gear as soon
as possible without accelerating harder than necessary. Driving
in a gear lower than you need wastes fuel; so does letting the
engine labor in top gear on hills and corners. Automatic transmissions
will shift up more quickly and smoothly if you ease back slightly
on the accelerator once the car gathers momentum.
Speed Kills Economy
High speeds result in high fuel consumption. At 70
mph your car uses up to 25 percent more fuel than it would cruising
at 55 mph. On the open road, drive within the posted speed limits.
Stopping and Braking
Resting your foot on the brake or driving with the
hand-brake on wastes fuel, increases brake wear and decreases
braking efficiency. Rather than idle for lengthy periods it
is more fuel efficient to switch off and then restart your engine
when necessary.
Look After Your Car's Tires
Inflate your car's tires to the pressure range recommended
by the manufacturer for the use of the car, and make sure your
wheels are properly aligned. Looking after your tires will not
only reduce your fuel consumption it will also extend tire life
and improve handling.
Travel Light
The
more a car carries the more fuel it uses; an extra 25 lbs of
weight can increase your fuel bill by two percent. Anything
fixed to the outside of the car increases wind resistance and
fuel consumption.
Service
Your Car Regularly
Keep
Your Car Well Tuned
This can reduce greenhouse gases by up to 15 percent
through fuel savings.
Repair Any Leaks Immediately
Leaking fluids are not only a sure sign that the vehicle
needs repair, but the fluids are also harmful to the environment.
Routinely inspect the spot where the vehicle is parked for signs
of fluid leaks, and check for fumes.
Black
or dark brown drippings
- motor oil or grease
Yellow or green drippings
- coolant or antifreeze
Pink or red drippings
- transmission fluid
Clear drippings - brake
fluid, power steering fluid or gasoline
Emissions Testing
Get your car’s emissions output tested. This
gives you a starting point from which to base your awareness
of your vehicle’s emissions.
Keep Track of Your Gas Mileage
Any
sudden decrease in mileage could indicate an engine problem
that could also be causing an increase in emissions.
Consider
Alternative Fuels
Biodiesel
Biodiesel burns cleaner than standard petrodiesel and
can be used in any diesel vehicle with no modification. Because
biodiesel is produced from both new and waste vegetable oils,
dependence on petroleum is decreased.
Check out Blue
Ridge Biofuels for more information.
Ethanol
Most conventional automobiles can use gasoline blended with
up to 10% ethanol, without any modification to their fuel systems
or engines, and still be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.
Natural Gas
Natural Gas is generally considered to be the cleanest of all
the commercially available fuels and produces low tailpipe emissions.
Most conventional vehicles can be converted to operate on natural
gas. The gas is stored in high-pressure cylinders that are located
under the vehicle, or in the trunk or rear compartment. For
convenience, most conversions leave the original gasoline system
in place in case you need to refuel in a location where natural
gas is unavailable.
Propane
Propane is currently the most widely available of the alternative
fuels. Most conventional vehicles can be converted to propane
operation. As with natural gas, propane is stored under pressure
in cylinders that are located under the vehicle or in the trunk
or rear compartment. It is also possible to leave the original
gasoline system in place as a backup.
(828)
255-2628
