Drive Better – Save Money – Part 1
Cars are generally very energy inefficient. Travelling by train, bus or bike – or walking – is much better for the planet (less pollution) – and it saves you money too.
But if you can’t manage without a car, then changing your driving habits can help reduce its pollution. First, find out how much your car produces with this guide. Then read on to find some great tips on how to use less fuel in your car, saving you money and helping the planet too.
Just how much money can you save? With the simple green driving tips here, you could increase your fuel economy (and thus your savings) by up to 47 percent!
It really is worth it to drive better and greener.
And if you want to decrease your fuel consumption even more, you can make some of the lifestyle changes that we’ve also listed.
Drive Better #1. Get Rid of Excess Weight
Your car burns gas or fuel for energy. It is food for the engine, which is what makes the car run. The more work the car has to do, the more energy it needs. That is why large SUVs have worse gas mileage than small cars – the added weight of the SUV makes the car work harder.
If you have a ski or bike rack or a roof box on your car, take it off (unless you are actually using it). It adds weight and wind resistance.
Check inside your trunk or boot – you may be able to clean it out. Sports equipment, strollers, gym bags and rock salt left over from winter driving are all hurting your fuel economy.
For every extra 100 pounds your car carries, it loses 2 percent in fuel economy, so just by cleaning up your act, you can start on the road to saving.
Drive Beter #2. Check Your Tyres
Did you know you can increase your fuel economy by having your tyres properly inflated? (Imagine trying to roll a bean bag up a hill. It takes a lot of energy because it droops all over everything. In contrast, it’s easy to roll a well-inflated ball up a hill. Like a ball, properly inflated tyres have less contact with the road, which means they encounter less friction, so the engine doesn’t have to work as hard to move the car. How do you know how much air should be in your tyres? Check your owners’ manual, or the inside of the driver’s door often has a sticker listing the correct pressure. Properly inflating your tyres can increase fuel efficiency by 3 percent.
If you want to get even more efficient, switch from regular tyres to low rolling resistance tyres, which are harder than regular tyres, so they encounter even less friction. Treehugger reports that using low rolling resistance tyres can lead to a 6 percent increase in fuel economy. There is a downside though – they are a lot harder than regular tyres, so your car’s ride and handling will be quite different. Also, only buy these tyres when you need to replace your tyres anyway, because the fuel savings won’t offset the cost of new tyres. Work with your mechanic or tyre shop to find the right low rolling resistance tyres for your car.
Read on for some driving habits which may be costng you money.
I am sure there are many ways that we could be using to save energy in our cars.
Thanks for the tips that you shared in this post! Waiting for more!
It’s beyond me why more people haven’t embraced economy cars. My wife and I both drive a Prius to reduce pollution and we compete to see who can save more gas and save more money. These tips to save gas are great because she’s got a lot of stuff in her trunk which explains my frequent victories. Except I pay for all the gas, hmmmmm
The competition between you two is a great idea! (Now your secrets are out!) 🙂
Thanks for your comment!
Its really good to see a green efficient car savvy post like this. I am constantly checking in with the new car technologies to see how the newer models are more efficient and less polluting. I am really liking the electric models!
Guilty of carrying far too much weight in the vehicle. Carrying books is like carrying raw lumber. Thanks for the amazing ecofriendly tip..