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Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Tips to improve gas mileage (and save some green)
Posted by Jason Green on Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Do you have a lead foot or drive an inefficient automobile? Here are a few simple tips to improve gas mileage and save a bunch of green!
The Issue: Poor gas mileage!
The Larger Issue:
-Oil is a non-renewable resource, and while there is debate as to how long it will last, we will eventually have to find new ways to fuel vehicles.
-Poor fuel economy increases our dependence on foreign oil.
-Burning gasoline and diesel contributes to air pollution and global warming.
-You will pay an extra $200 to $1500 each year by driving inefficient vehicles. This can cost many thousands of dollars over a vehicle’s lifetime.
-Oil spills from oil refining and oil transporting destroy ecosystems and pollute water.
Be Part of the Solution
Follow these simple steps to save a bunch of green (pun intended):
-Don’t drive aggressively! Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking wastes gas by lowering highway mileage up to 33% and 5% around town. It’s also much safer.
-Don’t Speed! Gas mileage rapidly decreases above 60 mph. Assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is equal to paying an additional $0.24 per gallon. It too is much safer.
-Replace your air filter! Doing so can improve your car's gas mileage by 10%.
-Take the junk out of your trunk! One hundred pounds of extra stuff in your car could reduce your MPG by as much as 2%.
-Give your car a tune up! Fixing a car that is out of tune or can improve gas mileage by about 4%.
-Keep your tires properly inflated! This can improve mileage by more than 3%.
-If possible, carpool! You can cut your weekly fuel costs in half if you take turns driving (or even better, use PSTA or HART or ride a bike).
-Don’t idle! It wastes fuel and pollutes the air. Turn off the engine when waiting.
-Plan your trips in advance and combine multiple errands into one trip.
-When shopping for a new car, buy the most efficient option possible! Go to http://www.fueleconomy.gov for a complete listing of fuel economies for all 2009 automobiles or visit http://www.hybridcars.com for information on hybrid technology.
-Visit http://www.fueleconomy.gov for estimated fuel economies for all cars manufactured since 1984.
-If you must buy an SUV, consider a hybrid! The highest efficiency hybrid SUV’s include the Mazda Tribute, Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner.
For more tips, or to learn more about sustainability at St. Petersburg College, visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability, join the facebook group and follow us at http://twitter.com/sustainableSPC.
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