Before we talk about reducing emissions from your vehicle, you need to know why this is important. All manner of activities, right from breathing to driving a car, generate carbon emissions in varying degrees. We need carbon dioxide, which essentially traps some of the sun’s rays in the atmosphere, causing the planet to remain at a habitable temperature. However, in recent years, the amount of carbon dioxide humans have been generating, mainly by burning fossil fuels, has been accelerating at an alarming rate. This in turn has led to global warming and a whole host of other issues that we are only now beginning to comprehend. The average American generates around 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum. If we are to make a positive impact on climate changes, scientists estimate that this number should be reduced to 2.5 tonnes. One of the easiest ways we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide generated is by re-looking at the way we use our vehicles. It takes up to one year for one tree to fix the carbon dioxide that 3 liters of gas would produce, and driving a mid sized 30 miles per gallon car at 12,000 miles per year, will release around 3.55 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. So, what can one do to reduce vehicle emissions? Before stepping in to your car, think about if you really need to use it. Can you walk, bike or use public transport instead? If the answer is no, then plan your route efficiently, avoiding high traffic areas and trying to complete all your errands at one go. Hard braking uses 39% more fuel and produces as much as 5 times more exhaust emissions. When within the city, switch off your air conditioner and open your car windows. This in itself can save you up to 20% of fuel consumed. Keep to the speed limits, especially on highways, as driving fast or erratically uses up to 20% more fuel. The slower you drive, the more you save. When you’re not using the car for more than 10 seconds, turn the engine off. Similarly, most cars nowadays don’t need to be warmed up for long periods of time, even during winter. Proper tire pressure can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by an eight of a tonne a year. So keep a little tire gauge handy and check tire pressure often. By loading your car with unnecessary equipment, you’ll only be making it heavier, which in turn makes it consume more fuel. Unload the groceries and remove your golf clubs as soon as you get home. Once the ski season is over, remove ski racks and use detachable bicycle racks, as and when you need them.Get others to share your ride, and take turns sharing theirs, so yours is not the only car driving around the block. If you are thinking of purchasing a new vehicle, then the options are quite limitless. While buying a hybrid vehicle is a smart choice, if you need something different, then try selecting a fuel efficient vehicle from the class of vehicles of your choice. If possible, think of buying a smaller vehicle and renting/leasing a larger one when needed. These are only some of the ways you can make a difference, not only to the amount of pollution and carbon emissions you will be producing, but also, in big savings to your wallet.by Ellerby Unless you work and live in an urban center you probably drive a car sometimes, if not daily, and whether you’re worried about your grandkids’ air, or you’d just rather be part of the solution than the problem, you’d probably like to be more environmentally friendly in your habits. Fortunately little changes can have big results. Decreasing fuel consumption is the first step. Before you leave the driveway make sure your load is as light and streamlined as possible. Peek in the trunk to see if there is any sports equipment or junk that can be left in the garage. If you have a roof rack or car top carrier can you store it at home? Anything that causes wind drag and decreases the aerodynamics of your vehicle will increase fuel consumption. As you shift into gear, take a moment to plan your trip. Can you get several errands done at once? Can you avoid steep hills? Can you maximize the outing? Get in the habit of making every trip count, and you’ll notice you visit the gas station less often. Once you’re on the street or highway choose a driving style that minimizes the use of your breaks. Sure, they’re important, but every time you use them you waste energy that you’ve already burned getting your car up to speed, and energy consumed is pollution emitted. By traveling at a safe distance from the car ahead, accelerating smoothly at intersections, and avoiding traffic times that require a lot of stop and go action, you’ll lower your consumption of fuel. Maximizing your car’s efficiency is the next step in reducing emissions. An engine begging for a tune can be 50% less efficient than a well maintained one. Keep fuel filters and air filters unclogged, and changed as directed by your owner’s manual. Using synthetic oil, along with a synthetic additive allows you to go longer between oil changes and increases fuel efficiency at the same time. Choosing A/C on highway trips and rolling down the windows for cooling in the city is another easy way to get the tank to last longer by maximizing the aerodynamics of your vehicle at high speeds, and using wind flow to cool at low speeds, while burning less energy. Replacing your vehicle with a hybrid or more efficiently powered vehicle is a bold turn you can take when traveling the «road to green». Whether you purchase new or used, it’s a good idea to make fuel consumption and efficiency comparisons, including the cost to operate over the years you’ll be driving. A 15 or 20% difference in fuel efficiency will significantly effect what you pay at the pump over the course of a year. Every step you take, large or small, has an impact, and a series of little choices can have great results. Do what you can, when you can, and soon you’ll have new habits that benefit your wallet and your world.Home › Other • Pomegranates: A newly discovered superfood • Where did the joke why did the chicken cross the road come from and why is it funny? • Can mothers diagnosed with bipolar disorder make good parents? • Spiritual evolution of human consciousness • Tips for getting a college basketball scholarship • Living with Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) • Caring for the caregiver • Technologys impact on society
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