Transportation

Transportation is a major part of everyday life for a large portion of the population. If we can make our daily going to and from more eco-friendly, we can reduce the negative impact we have on the environment.

Alternative Transportation

• Whenever possible try to use healthy alternative forms of transportation that don’t require fuel in order to get to your destination (rollerblades, bikes, skateboards or even walking).
• This is especially important when making short trips in the winter since engines can burn up to 50% more fuel than during the summer.

Public Transportation

• Whenever possible use public transportation because it can help you save on gas, maintenance costs, parking fees, parking tickets and insurance premiums.
• Taking public transportation also means more time available to study, or for other leisure activities such as reading or knitting.

Car Pooling

• The more passengers you take, the more eco-friendly your journey. Plus you can enjoy the good company of friends. Driving with a carload of people can actually be as eco-friendly as completing journeys using public transport in some cases, particularly if you’re reducing the number of vehicles on the road.

Cooling & Heating

• A long journey on a hot day can be uncomfortable unless your car is kept cool – but if possible, avoid using gas guzzling air conditioning, which can increase fuel consumption by a massive 10%. At least until you reach a driving speed of 80km/h. If you’re driving at a speed over 80km/h it’s better to use air conditioning because driving with open windows at or above 80km/h reduces fuel efficiency.
• At lower speeds if you can’t handle having your windows open you can always try using a battery powered fan to cool you off when the windows are up.
• During the summer using a reflective windshield shade can help to keep your car cool when it’s parked.

Maintenance & Cleaning

• Try to regularly clean out your vehicles trunk or storage space and remove any unnecessary items. Any extra weight will reduce your fuel efficiency. Every extra 100kg in an average car increases fuel consumption by 7%.
• When you’re refueling, stop when the gas pump automatically turns off. Overfilling your tank can ruin your gasoline-vapor recovery equipment. The recovery canister is supposed to store gasoline vapors rather than release them into the atmosphere. If you overfill the tank and liquid gas sloshes into the canister, it will stop working, contributing to the formation of ground-level ozone, smog, acid rain, and airborne toxins.
• Simple checks, such as monitoring tire pressure, helps keep your car running more efficiently – not to mention making your vehicle safer. Keeping the right tire pressure can make a huge difference in the long run, plus it’s free to fill your tires with air at most local service stations.
• During the summer make sure you take off those winter tires as they reduce fuel efficiency by about 5%.
• Keeping up on your car’s maintenance, such as regular oil changes, air-filter changes, and spark plug replacements, can increase your fuel efficiency by up to 25%.
• Avoid conventional anti-freeze due to the fact it is highly toxic. Instead use propylene glycol. It has a lower toxin content and is biodegradable. Anti-freeze can also be recycled at the end of its useful life. Many auto-repair shops will recycle on site or send it to another location.

Eco Driving

• Whenever possible try to maintain a steady speed while driving. One way to do so is using cruise control when driving on flat stretches of highway. However, don’t use cruise control on roads with constantly changing elevation as the car will try to maintain speed and won’t adjust for appropriate engine load. 90% or more of the engine’s power is used for acceleration and driving at fast speeds. By accelerating quickly and breaking hard, energy is wasted and fuel consumption increases. Try to brake and accelerate as slow (and safe) as possible.
• Driving at slower speeds cuts down on internal friction and decreases overall fuel consumption. Speeding is bad for the environment, your wallet, and can be dangerous. Try to avoid it at all costs.
• Avoid using drive-thrus. All of that idling is bad for your car and the environment, a better choice is to simply go inside to get your order.
• Idling for longer than 15 seconds requires more fuel than restarting. Excessive idling causes stress on the bearings of the engine and emits harmful components from the catalytic converter. If you know you are going to be waiting for longer than 15 seconds it is worthwhile to just turn off your car.
• Driving a vehicle with a manual transmission is generally more fuel efficient due to the fact that manual transmissions allow you to reduce the internal friction of the engine.